La Chiesa del Purgatorio
Macabre symbols of
death and mummies on display set the tone of this Italian purgatory church.  

The 16th and
17th centuries marked a period of tremendous religious thinking in Europe. The
Protestant Reformation was sweeping across the continent, and the Catholic
Counter-Reformation in response. Among the contested ideas was the notion
of purgatory, thought to be a “place of cleansing” for those who have sinned
and not yet received full forgiveness for their acts.

After Protestant pushback on this concept, Catholics
reiterated the importance of the doctrine. A concrete result of this
reaffirmation was the construction of several “purgatory” churches around
southern Italy and Sicily, where mass was celebrated to pray for the souls of
those in limbo, so they could go on to heaven. 

One of these purgatory churches is the Chiesa Santa Maria
del Suffragio, also known as La Chiesa del Purgatorio, located in the
small town of Monopoli right beside the much grander Basilica of the Madonna
della Madia. Built toward the end of the 17th century, the unassuming structure
might lack the majesty of the cathedral next door, but it is eye-catching
nevertheless, thanks the macabre images on the doorway and the mummies on
display inside.

The central figures in the heavy wooden door are two
skeletons, mirror images of each other, holding what looks like a mat. The engraved
borders surrounding the doorway are patterned with skulls, incongruously
intertwined with more traditional flowers and branches. The symbolism of
death that greets visitors at every turn is thought to be a warning of the
suffering and pain of purgatory awaiting those who sin without
repentance. 

In keeping with the theme, inside the church are the
embalmed remains of eight founding members of the church and local
administrators, standing in a glass case, dressed in black robes bordered by
the red fiery flames of purgatory. The mummies date back to the 18th and 19th
century, and one of the cases also contains the mummy of a child, wearing a
frilly white frock. The church’s interiors are in the Baroque-style, and the
altar is ornate and intricately decorated.

[Atlas
Obscura]