The first certain information on the church dates back to the end of the 16th century (1579), but it has undergone many extensions and transformations over time. Today it has three naves with round arches and painted wooden ceilings. It is preceded by a narthex (added later) open in three arches, in turn preceded by a superb flight of steps in local stone. On the façade of the church, inside the narthex, is the famous 16th-century fresco on the theme of the “Last Judgement”, with scenes of the Crucifixion and Resurrection; in the lunette of the portal is the Madonna delle Grazie with Child . The pictorial cycle is the work of Marco da San Germano and is inspired by the famous vision of Friar Alberico da Settefrati, a monk who lived in the 12th century and worked in the Abbey of Montecassino. The ’visionary monk“ contributed a great deal to the literary genre of journeys into the underworld: Dante Alighieri himself drew on his tale.
La Church of Our Lady of Grace plays an important role during the festivities of Our Lady of Canneto: the image of the Virgin, once it leaves the church of St. Stephen in the village, makes a stop here to dress the humble clothes of the shepherdess Silvana and then heads towards the Canneto Valley where she appeared to the simple commoner and where, in memory of the miracle, the very popular Sanctuary was built. .
