Chiesa di S. Maria Maggiore di Rocca San Felice

The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (Saint Mary Major) in Rocca San Felice is located on Via Croce, near the main square of the village in Irpinia.

The religious building dates back to the 11th century, the period in which the village centre developed and to which the remote data on the Christian religion can be traced. It is mentioned for the first time in 1197 in a bull of Pope Celestine III, confirming the donations of Saint Cesario and Saint Nicholas to the town. The Church has been rebuilt and restructured several times over the years: first in 1728, and then in 1950, when, thanks to the generosity of the Rocca community, a series of works were carried out to combat the deterioration of the stuccoes and altars due to the weather and high humidity.

The latest reconstruction works, carried out after the earthquake of 23 November, 1980, have restored to the local population a sacred place with its original and characteristic appearance, with masonry in local stone and a bell tower. Reopened for worship on 4 August, 1991, the Mother Church preserves admirable works of art inside, including a canvas depicting "The Virgin with Child" in the Neapolitan school and dating back to the 17th century, a wooden crucifix from the 18th century, and the altar in polychrome stucco. In addition, some statues of saints preserved there have been recovered and restored, including the wooden statues of Saint Felix and the Holy Mary of Constantinople. 

A symbol of faith and resistance to the passage of time and natural disasters, the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore helps to keep the artistic and religious heritage of Rocca San Felice alive and valuable.