Montenerodomo has always been catholic, however, at the beginning of 1900 some emigrants coming back from the USA tried to spread evangelicalism. They were skilful builders and in 1906 started the construction of an Evangelical Church in the neighbourhood of San Martino, which was to serve also other towns nearby. Those “American emigrants”, as Benedetto Croce referred to them, offered generous donations and they even gave part of their wages. A pastor has been celebrating in that church for some years, but according to Benedetto Croce “There is no believer and not to get bored he teaches to the boys and girls who want to listen”.

But why didn’t the population of Montenerodomo attend the Evangelical Church? The reasons lay in the Evangelical faith: evangelists do not worship saints nor the Virgin Lady, they oppose the repetition of Christ sacrifice in Eucharist as in the Mass, they do not acknowledge the authority of the priests, bishops nor the Pope. All those principles oppose the Catholic faith and the religious practice of that period.

There being no followers, the Evangelical Church was turned into a warehouse at first and later into a theatre, and finally destroyed by the World War 2 bombing in November 1943. Reduced to a heap of debris (only the rose window of the main facade was saved and placed in the Church of  San Martino), the site was finally bought by a private citizen in 1950 to build his house.

[Credits | Text: Ottavio Di Renzo De Laurentis | Translation: Mirella Rapa | Voice and music: Studio Qreate | Photo: Laura Di Biase]