Termoli Cathedral (; ''Cattedrale di Santa Maria della Purificazione'') is a

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 ...

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

Termoli Termoli ( Molisano: ''Térmëlë'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) on the south Adriatic coast of Italy, in the province of Campobasso, region of Molise. It has a population of around 32,000, having expanded quickly after World War II, and it is a ...

, in the

province of Campobasso The province of Campobasso (; ) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Molise region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Campobasso. It covers an area of and has a total population of 223,871 (2017). There are 84 ''comuni'' (: ''comune'') in ...

, central

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. The dedication is to the Purification of the Virgin Mary, but is commonly ascribed to Saints Bassus and

Timothy Timothy is a masculine name. It comes from the Greek language, Greek name (Timotheus (disambiguation), Timόtheos) meaning "honouring God", "in God's honour", or "honoured by God". Timothy (and its variations) is a common name in several countries ...

, patrons of the city. It is the seat of the Bishop of Termoli-Larino.

History

The first church was built around the 6th century on the ruins of a temple dedicated to

Castor and Pollux Castor and Pollux (or Polydeuces) are twin half-brothers in Greek and Roman mythology, known together as the Dioscuri or Dioskouroi. Their mother was Leda, but they had different fathers; Castor was the mortal son of Tyndareus, the king of ...

. There is a reference to a larger church dedicated to the

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

(''Ecclesia Sanctae Matris'') in 1037, a few years after the synod held by

Pope John XIII Pope John XIII (; ca. 930 – 6 September 972) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 1 October 965 to his death. His pontificate was caught up in the continuing conflict between the Holy Roman emperor, Otto I, and the Roman n ...

in 969, which was attended by the first

bishop of Termoli The Diocese of Termoli-Larino () is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church situated in the province of Campobasso, region of Molise. The commune of Termoli is an important regional seaport. The diocese has existed in its current configura ...

. Some remains have been discovered, under the extant church, of an 11th-century basilica. The present Romanesque building was constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries on the site of its predecessors, and is attributed to Alfano of Termoli, perhaps the same who made the ciborium in Bari Cathedral. The cathedral was restored after an earthquake in 1464 and again after an attack by Ottoman Turks in 1566. During other renovation works in 1760 and 1962, the

relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

of Saint Bassus of Lucera and of

Saint Timothy Timothy or Timothy of Ephesus (Greek language, Greek: , ''Timótheos'', meaning "honouring God" or "honoured by God") was an early Christian Evangelism, evangelist and the first Christianity, Christian bishop of Ephesus, whom the Acts of Timothy ...

respectively, patron saints of the city of Termoli, were discovered.

Description

The west front of the cathedral measures 22 metres at its highest point. The lower, older, part is elaborately ornamented; the upper part contains only the

rose window Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' wa ...

, and was restored after the Turkish raid of 1566. In the lower part are seven blind arcades with double

mullion A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. It is also often used as a division between double doors. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid sup ...

ed windows, each different from the others, and decorated with acanthus leaves and human figures. The central arcade, which is bigger than the others, has a portal surrounded by small columns. The inscription in one of the

lunette A lunette (French ''lunette'', 'little moon') is a crescent- or half-moon–shaped or semi-circular architectural space or feature, variously filled with sculpture, painted, glazed, filled with recessed masonry, or void. A lunette may also be ...

s of the double window commemorates Stasio Grimaldi di Giovanni, who contributed financially to the building works of the cathedral. The cathedral has a

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...

l ground plan, with three naves and three semicircular apses with piers on round bases. The interior has been returned to its original condition after lengthy restoration works between 1930 and 1969, which removed the

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

additions.

Sources

* Palma, G. and others (1996): ''Termoli, i dintorni, le Tremiti''. Leone Editrice * ''La Basilica Cattedrale''. Azienda Autonoma di Soggiorno e Turismo di Termoli (A.A.S.T.), 2000 {{coord, 42, 00, 19, N, 14, 59, 51, E, region:IT_type:landmark_source:kolossus-frwiki, display=title 13th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy

Cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

Roman Catholic cathedrals in Italy Cathedrals in Molise Churches in the province of Campobasso Romanesque architecture in Molise Minor basilicas in Molise