Location: Monticchio
The Monastery of the Holy Rosary of Monticchio is located in a panoramic position, to the west of the parish church of Monticchio. It was built in the first half of the eighteenth century, This building is solid in construction and stands out for its harmonious architecture. The entrance to the adjoining church is reached through an imposing staircase with two semicircular ramps. An interesting thing is the floor of the church, which houses a remarkable panel attributed to Ignazio Chiaiese, renowned Neapolitan ceramist of the eighteenth century. It is advisable to ask for permission to visit the monastery.
The origin of the Holy Rosary monastery
In 1707, Cristina Olivieri, a devout Neapolitan woman, began to spend long stays in Monticchio, where she was a guest of the Tizzano family. During her visits, Olivieri began to raise funds with the aim of founding a monastery. With the money raised, in 1723 she bought two small plots of land near the parish church of Monticchio and obtained permission from Bishop De Rossi to start construction. The parish priest of Monticchio blessed the first stone. It was laid with a cross carved into the moats, where the foundations of the monastery were then placed.
However, this initiative aroused general discontent among the citizens of Massa. On April 4, 1723, in a town assembly, they voted against the construction of the monastery. Only two votes were in favor, while the majority felt that Massa already had too many religious corporations that owned large areas of territory, leaving the population in conditions of poverty. The citizens then presented a petition to the Viceroy, expressing their concerns. Olivieri defended her position by declaring that the buildings were intended for her personal use.
This case highlights the social and political tensions of the time, when religious corporations often held significant economic power, causing discontent among the poorest population.
The city’s opposition
The opposition to the construction of the Monastery of the Holy Rosary in Monticchio continued for several years, with an alternation of decrees that allowed or prohibited the progress of the works. Despite the protests of the citizens of Massa, the monastery progressed so that in 1732 much of the building was already completed.
The Viceroy of Naples decreed on 24 May of the same year that the construction could continue, despite the new protests of the Massesi. However, with the advent of the Bourbon government, on 18 January 1738 the Royal Chamber again imposed a ban on continuing work if it was intended for a conservatory. The King confirmed this decision on 14 February.
Despite these difficulties, the tenacious founder Cristina Olivieri did not give up and presented a further plea to the Royal Chamber. Although there are no other documents attesting to the final resolution of the dispute, it seems that Olivieri’s plea was accepted, since in the following years the conservatory was completed and inhabited by the nuns. In 1746, Monsignor Pisani visited the monastery, confirming that the nuns followed the rule of St. Dominic.
This story highlights the commitment and perseverance of the founder, as well as the social tensions related to the expansion of religious institutions in that period.
