An amazing discovery was made in the building of the State Archives of Naples: a hidden chapel was discovered, decorated with well-preserved frescoes. The archive, once a Benedictine monastery, has a rich history related to the religious heritage of Naples.
Founded in 846 , the monastery flourished as the residence of the Benedictine monks until their expulsion in 1799. This space was later converted into an armory by order of Cardinal Fabrizio Ruffo. Later, in 1848, the newly formed State Archives found its home in a former monastery under the administration of the Freнch General Joaquim Murat .
Beneath a wall in one of the archive rooms, workers uncovered a striking fresco depicting Mary holding the body of Christ in the Pieta scene. Additional research uncovered two more frescoes on adjacent walls depicting Saint Severin Noric and Saint Saussius.
The Artistic Director of the State Archives, Luigi La Rocca, expressed his surprise by sharing the news on social media. He stated: "This was a real discovery; we did not know about the existence of the chapel. A thorough study will now be carried out to accurately date this amazing discovery."
Source https://aleteia.org
