Our Lady of Purity – Sanctuary of the Infant Jesus of Prague

In the heart of Pagani stands a religious complex that has accompanied the devotion of the local community for centuries. Known as the monastery and church of Our Lady of Purity, now the Sanctuary of the Infant Jesus of Prague, it preserves Baroque architecture, artistic heritage and historical memory that coexist in popular spirituality.

Our Lady of Purity is one of Pagani’s most significant religious complexes. Built in the 17th century as a monastery, to which was attached a church rich in valuable artistic heritage, the convent was the last cloistered seat of the Diocese of Nocera-Pagani and took its name from the painting depicting the Madonna and Child, still placed on the high altar of the Baroque church. The latter was later proclaimed a shrine, with the name of the Infant Jesus of Prague, due to the presence of a statue of the Infant Child at the center of deep popular veneration. The presence of these two sacred images, both objects of equal devotion, makes the two designations coexist in the local population, a living testimony to the history of the complex and the strong bond it maintains with the Pagan community.

Origins and history of Our Lady of Purity

The structure was built towards the end of the 17th century on an ancient site dedicated to Saints Felix and Constance, who, according to tradition, suffered martyrdom here in Roman times. Around 1680, on the foundations of the former chapel of St. Mary of the Martyrs, construction was begun on a monastery intended for the Discalced Carmelite Sisters, entrusted to the leadership of Sister Maria Serafina di Dio, a figure of great spiritual prestige.

In the first decades of the 18th century, the cloister was built and the buildings were organically connected, defining the architectural layout that is still recognizable today. The monastery housed a large number of nuns for a long time, so much so that it avoided closure under the Napoleonic laws of 1807. It failed, however, to escape the suppression that followed the Unification of Italy in 1860, and in 1922 the nuns had to redeem the complex in order to remain on its premises.

In 1976, the monastery was finally handed over to the Pious Union of the Sick Christ Salvationists (PUACS), which still takes care of its reception activities. The Church of the Purity, attached to the monastery, has continued to carry out its religious functions, gradually becoming the center of a strong popular devotion to a statue of the “Infant of Prague” kept inside, to the point of being elevated to a shrine of the same name in 1986.

The painting that gave the complex its name

The name of the Pagani monastic complex derives from a painting given to Sister Maria Serafina of God by the viceroy of Naples in 1682. Chronicles relate that while Mother Serafina was praying in front of the painting, she heard the words “Et puritas mea,” which she interpreted as an indication of the title to be given to the image and therefore painted the inscription on a scroll that still accompanies the canvas. From then on the complex took the name of St. Mary of Purity, and a stable and uninterrupted devotion developed around this icon. In 1983, for the third centenary of the arrival of the image, Pope John Paul II authorized its solemn coronation.

The story of the Infant Jesus of Prague and the nomination as a shrine

The cult of the Infant Jesus of Prague originated in the seventeenth century in Bohemia, where a small wax statue became an object of deep veneration, accompanied by tales of graces and protections attributed to the “Miraculous Child,” whose devotion quickly spread throughout Europe and Italy.

In Pagani, where the Carmelites of the Purità already venerated an image of the Infancy of Jesus, a precious 18th-century statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague arrived, donated by a Neapolitan noblewoman to be displayed for the devotion of the faithful.

The entrenchment of the cult, evidenced by the growing number of pilgrims and votive offerings, led to the church of St. Mary of Purity being elevated to “Shrine of the Infant Jesus of Prague” in 1986. In 1999 the statue was crowned a “sacred image” by Pope John Paul II, further solidifying the bond with the Pagan community. Since then the Child has been the destination of pilgrimages and particularly heartfelt celebrations.

Architecture and artistic heritage

The Monastery of the Purity, organized on two levels around an elegant cloister, preserves a monumental portal and historic rooms of special significance, including a library with about ten thousand volumes, including manuscripts from the 16th century.

The church, which faces directly onto Pagani’s main street, constitutes a small jewel of architecture and artwork. The Baroque facade is richly ornamented with stucco work, a central frescoed medallion and a dramatic double staircase in piperno. The interior has a single nave with four side chapels and two carved and gilded wooden choirs, closed by gratings, as in the tradition of cloistered communities.

The pavement, in painted majolica, represents one of the most precious testimonies of Vietrese manufacture of the 17th century, while the high altar, sumptuous and rich in polychrome marble and sculptures of angels, belongs to refined Neapolitan Baroque sculpture and shows influences of Domenico Antonio Vaccaro.

The painting of Our Lady of Purity, from the school of Murillo and placed around 1682, is imbued with a luminosity that dialogues with Luca Giordano’s naturalistic tradition. Among the works in the chapels are 17th-century paintings from the Neapolitan area, including the Flagellation of Christ, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, the Dressing of Saint Theresa attributed to Giuseppe Simonelli, a Crucifix on canvas and a Savior attributable to the circle of Paolo De Maio.

The statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague is placed in a chapel-tabernacle decorated with votive offerings. The robe of the statue varies according to the liturgical calendar, testifying to the continuity of devotion.