Church of San Giuseppe in Montelepre
The Church of San Giuseppe in Montelepre, also known as the Church of the Holy Souls, which stands on the floor of the castle, is an important building of worship in the village.
It was built in 1717 for the sole purpose of burying the deceased: the cataconbs, a burial place, were located in the basement under the entrance hall. The current appearance is due to the renovations and expansions carried out between 1722 and 1761, at the behest of the benefactor Castrenze Di Bella: two side naves were annexed to the original chapel.
The church is compact and imposing and is preceded by a staircase.
The rectangular façade is divided into two orders by a stringcourse and divided into three parts by pilasters. The facade is surmounted by a bell tower divided into two orders: the first houses three bells, the second a small central bell surmounted by the crucifix.
The interior, in the shape of a Latin cross, is divided into three naves and has twelve side altars . The vault of the central nave is frescoed with paintings by Giuseppe Carta depicting the stories of Saint Joseph.
Among the works kept inside the church, the following are valuable: the stucco and wood statuary group of the Holy Family by Antonio Genoese; the canvas of the Purgative Souls dating back to the second half of the eighteenth century; the half-length portraits of the benefactor Castrenze Di Bella and his wife by Giuseppe Pennino.
