San Biagio, Aversa
San Biagio is Roman Catholic church and monastery in the municipality of Aversa, province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy. History. Some sources attribute the founding of the monastery to a Norman princess, Aloara, but another claim is that it was founded in 1050 by Donna Riccarda, sister of Riccardo I, Prince of Capua and Count of Aversa. However the Codex of San Biagio from 1043 already mentions the monastery. It was built adjacent or within the walls of a moated castle. The monastery gave name to this Borgo of the ancient town, although  remaining outside of the main walls till 1382. The Benedictine monastery was dependant to the Monastery of San Lorenzo Fuori Le Mura Over the centuries the rule and structure of the monastery changed. It became a site of local pilgrimage, and for example was visited in 1734 by the Bourbon Charles IV of Naples. In 1806, the monastery was suppressed. Over the years since the monastery has been used as a jail, barracks, school and other functions. It kept a diminished house of worship housing a small number of nuns, who from 1932 to 1954, were under the leadership of  the abbess Maria Concetta De Pietro. The structures suffered much damage during the second world war. On August 20, 1943, the paintings of Malinconico and Caracciolo, were destroyed by an allied bombardment. Further damage occurred during an earthquake of 1980. The cloister was originally romanesque and rebuilt in a baroque style. Of the church, the pronaos still remains with Two 18th century stucco medallions depicting Saints Benedetto and Biagio. The church contains 18 canvases depicting the "Life of St Benedict" painted (1701) by Pietro Martino. The counterfacade has five canvases by Giovanni Battista Lama, depicting: "St Phillip baptizes a Eunuch , St Catherine of Alexandria", "St Benedict of Norsia and Santa Scholastica", and "Santa Dorotea and St Ambrosius and St Theodosius". Both Martino and Lama were pupils of Luca Giordano. The Maiolica pavement dates to early 18th century. The chapels on the right (back to front) also contain original artworks: The sacristy houses a "St Cajetan" (XVII sec.), attributed to Agostino Beltrano, and an "Incredulity of St Thomas"(16th century). The main altar, which shows the influence of Vanvitelli with marbles by Paolo Persico, houses an altarpiece depicting a "Martyrdom of San Biagio" (1588) once attributed to Marco da Siena but more  likely to later to Giovanni Battista Graziano, a local painter. The chapels on the right (front to back) also contain original artworks: