Shrines of Italy: Church of Santa Maria & Giuliana

The parish church of Santa Maria and Giuliana is tucked quietly away behind the walls of Castello de Aviano, an ancient castle built during the high Middle Ages to protect the local inhabits from outside attack. Among the many wealthy families protected by these walls, was the Trevisan family; a group of nobles who traveled to Aviano by way of Venice, and who financed the constructed of Santa Maria in the late 1500’s.

The Trevisan family had connections to many famous artists living in Venice, and they commissioned the sculptor Agostino Rubini to create the statues of Saints Peter and Paul located in the outer façade of the main church. The most notable feature of Santa Maria is the small, underground crypt, located beneath the main altar, which contains a sculpture representing the Virgin Mary with the Crucified Christ on her knees.  While the sculpture itself was inspired by Michelangelo’s Pieta, the altar surrounding it bears a distinctly Baroque style from later centuries.

Other features of this church include a holy water font from 1606, and a variety of paintings and statues from several periods of history. Just about every church you’ll find in Aviano contains a magnificent side altar dedicated to the Mother of God, and the Church of Santa Maria is no exception. In this case, it’s one of the first displays to catch your attention as you cross the main entrance.

It’s a small church designed for a small community. But you’ll often find that the smaller a community is, the greater its veneration is for the Mother of God. A characteristic that defined this community centuries ago, and will continue to define the Church of Santa Maria for centuries to come.