San Moderanno, also known as the ''Duomo of Berceto'' is a Romanesque-style,

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church, formerly attached to an abbey, located on Piazza Duomo in the town of

Berceto Berceto ( Parmigiano: , or ; ) is a village and ''comune'' in Italy, located in the Apennine Mountains on the main road between La Spezia and Parma, in the Taro River valley, in the region of Emilia-Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; o ...

in the region of

Emilia-Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an Regions of Italy, administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia (region), Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 m ...

, Italy.

History

The church arose alongside a

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

monastery founded in 719 by

Liutprand, King of the Lombards Liutprand was the List of kings of the Lombards, king of the Lombards from 712 to 744 and is chiefly remembered for his multiple phases of law-giving, in fifteen separate sessions from 713 to 735 inclusive, and his long reign, which brought him i ...

. Originally attached to Bishop Moderanno of Renne, in 879, the monastery was assigned to the diocese of

Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...

, only to close in the following century, and the property being renamed a ''pieve'', or rural parish, dedicated to ''San Moderanno''. The convent was along the routes of pilgrimage to Rome. The church was rebuilt in the 12th century, and the main portals date from this era. Further reconstructions were guided between 1480-1502, commissioned by Bertrando Maria Rossi. The facade was completed in Romanesque style in 1845. The sculptural program of the portal documents events in the life and ''Passion of Christ'', but is also peppered with images of animals and humans, symbolizing vices and sins. The secondary portal depicts the ''Adoration of the Magi'' (1198) and the figures of Saints Peter and Paul.Piazza Duomo Parma
San Moderanno entry.

References

{{coord missing, Italy Churches in the province of Parma Romanesque architecture in Emilia-Romagna 12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Berceto