Basilicas in Italy—Northern Apulia

I blogged about the following basilicas on October 1, 2020.

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven, Foggia.
Co-Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Bovino.

Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel, Monte Sant’Angelo, Foggia

The church has been considered a minor basilica for centuries.

St. Michael is said to have appeared in a cave here three times in the late 5th Century and once in the 17th Century. Pilgrims began coming in the 5th Century and soon it was one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Europe. The current Romanesque church was built in the 13th Century. The cave has been visited by eight popes and several kings. St. Francis of Assisi visited in 1216 but did not feel worthy to enter the cave. (If you are interested, look up the sacred line of St. Michael the Archangel.)

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Lucera, Foggia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Gregory XVI in 1834.

The basilica is the cathedral of the Diocese of Lucera-Troia. The former Diocese of Lucera was established in the 4th Century, but the original cathedral eventually became a ruin. The current Gothic cathedral was built in the early 14th Century. Renovations in the 16th and 17th Centuries added a Baroque/Renaissance flavor to the church, but 19th Century renovations returned to Gothic/Romanesque.

The first picture is from a local source and the others are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. John the Babtist, Foggia, Foggia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII in 1889.

The Baroque church was built in the 16th Century by the Order of Malta.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia. (Sorry for the poor quality of the second picture, it was the best available.)

Co-Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Troia, Foggia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1958.

The basilica is the co-cathedral of the Diocese of Lucera-Troia. The Romanesque church was built between 1093 and 1125 as the cathedral for a large diocese—it replaced a Byzantine-style church. It covers over 14,000 square feet of floor space.

The first picture is from a local source and the others are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Mary Major of Siponto, Siponto, Foggia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1977.

The Romanesque church was built in the early 12th Century. It was built as the cathedral for a former diocese and replaced an earlier church. The basilica once held a carob wood statue of Our Lady of Siponto that dates to the 11th Century, but it is now kept in the diocesan cathedral.

The first picture is from Alamy and the others are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Coronated Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Incoronata, Foggia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1978.

The Virgin Mary appeared to a local count and a shepherd in 1001. Miracles were soon attributed to Mary’s intercession at this site and pilgrims soon started to arrive. A small church was built, which Mary had requested. This was followed by a larger church. The current church was built between 1954 and 1965.

Pictures are from the Basilica's website.

Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Vieste, Foggia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1981.

The basilica is the co-cathedral for the Archdiocese of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo. The Romanesque church was built in the 11th Century but has been renovated over the centuries due to earthquakes and wars. These renovations have sometimes used other styles including Baroque. The church has a 16th Century wooden statue of the Madonna.

Pictures are from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter the Apostle, Cerignola, Foggia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

The basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Cerignola-Ascoli Satriano. The neo-Gothic church was built between 1873 and 1934. The need for a new cathedral had become apparent by the mid-19th Century and a wealthy donor left money in his will to pay for the construction. It is made of stone and white marble.

Pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Francis, Lucera, Foggia

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012.

The Gothic church was built between 1300 and 1304 after the Saracens were defeated. It is also known as the Shrine of St. Francesco Antonio Fasani. St. Francesco was a 18th Century Franciscan friar known for his holiness and his devotion to the poor and suffering. He is buried in the basilica which he helped restore after a 1731 earthquake.

Pictures are from a local source, TripAdvisor, and Wikipedia.

Basilicas in Italy—Central Apulia

I blogged about the following basilica on October 1, 2020.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Sabina, Bari.

Pontifical Basilica of St. Nicholos, Bari, Bari

The church has been considered a minor basilica for centuries.

St. Nicholas was a 4th Century bishop of Myra, in what is now Turkey. Americans know him as Santa Claus. In 1087, Myra was being attacked by Muslim forces and some Christians took the relics of St. Nicholas and brought them to Bari. This Romanesque church was built over the next century to accommodate pilgrims. Aside from St. Nicholas’ tomb, another noteworthy item is an 11th Century Romanesque cathedra (a bishop’s chair).

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Well, Capurso, Bari

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius IX in 1850.

A Byzantine icon of the Madonna was found in a well in 1705. This Baroque church was built to house the icon in the 1770s.

The top picture is from Wikipedia and the other two are from Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady, Monopoli, Bari

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XV in 1921.

The basilica is the co-cathedral of the Diocese of Conversano-Monopoli. This Baroque church was completed in 1772 to replace a 12th Century Romanesque church which in turn was built on the site of a Roman temple.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, Barletta, Barletta-Andria-Trani

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1951.

The Gothic church was built in the 12th Century on a road traveled by pilgrims and crusaders going to and from the Holy Land. It was built by the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and contains a relic of the True Cross brought here by the Patriarch of Jerusalem after the Ninth Crusade in 1291. The church had a major renovation in the early and middle 20th Century.

Pictures are from local sources.

Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Trani, Barletta-Andria-Trani

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1960.

The basilica is the cathedral for the Archdiocese of Trani-Barletta- Bisceglie. The Romanesque church was built in the 12th Century of Trani stone. It is built on the site of a 4th Century cathedral.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of St. Mary Major, Barletta, Barletta-Andria-Trani

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XIII in 1961.

The basilica is a co-cathedral for the Archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie. This location has been occupied for centuries. Tombs from the 4th Century B.C. are beneath the basilica. Two earlier churches also were on this site. The current church began as a Romanesque church built in the 12th Century and was expanded in the 14th Century with a Gothic addition.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica Shrine of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, Bitonto, Bari

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1975.

The modern church was built between 1960 and 1973. It contains relics of Sts. Cosmas and Damian.

The first picture is from a local source and the second is from Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter the Apostle, Bisceglie, Barletta-Andria-Trani

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

The basilica is a co-cathedral for the Archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie. The church was built between 1073 and 1295.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs, Molfetta, Bari

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1987.

The Neoclassical church was built in the 12th Century but received a major renovation around 1830.

Pictures are from a local source, TripAdvisor, and Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Gravina di Puglia, Bari

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1993.

The basilica is the co-cathedral for the Diocese of Altamura-Gravina-Acquaviva delle Fonti. The church was completed in 1065 during the days when the Normans ruled this part of Italy. It was built to replace an earlier cathedral. The Romanesque church was almost completly destroyed in the mid-15th Century either by a fire or an earthquake. The church was rebuilt by 1632 and in the 18th Century, Baroque elements were added to the church.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Conversano, Bari

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1997.

The Romanesque basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Conversano-Monopoli. It was built in the 11th and 12th Centuries and has been restored three times, most recently in the early 20th Century after a fire destroyed most of the interior. The church has a Madonna painting that likely dates to the 13th Century. However, legend has it that it came to Conversano in the 5th Century after being saved from a fire in a church in northern Africa during clashes with Arian heretics.