Hidden among the historic streets of the Fiore district, the Church of Saint John the Baptist, also known as "la Cura", is a small, intimate place of worship, a testament to a humble and deeply rooted faith. It was built between 1769 and 1773 after the demolition of the ancient church that stood in the main square of Proceno, to make room for the brick paving commissioned by Paolo I Sforza. The old church, located opposite Palazzo Guido Ascanio Sforza, was demolished to reorganize the square. For the new construction, stones from the nearby tower next to Porta del Bottino were reused. The new church was erected in Piazza d’Erbe, now vanished, in the heart of the Fiore district. It was elevated to a parish church and entrusted to a curate, from whom it still takes the name "Cura" today.
Simple architecture and deep meanings
The building has a rectangular floor plan, with a nave covered by a barrel vault and a chancel also vaulted. At the center of the stucco altar is an oil painting on canvas depicting three figures: Saint John the Baptist on the left, Our Lady of Providence in the center, and Saint Francis of Paola on the right.
A small sacristy is accessible via a side porch on the left of the altar. It is on a slightly lower level than the nave and may have once been part of an older structure, of which visible traces remain.
On the upper right side of the altar is a bell gable, simple and discreet, facing the slope of Bottino.
Though modest in size, the Church of the Cura remains a place of identity for the people of the neighborhood and an integral part of the historic heritage of Proceno.
Where
Corso Regina Margherita, 30, 01020 Proceno VT, Italia
