Church of St. Mary of Portosalvo

Halfway up the hill between the medieval village and the Marina rises the small church of Si. Mary's of Portosalvo. Its plant is rectangular, simple, just like the people who professed their faith. They assured themselves their burials and graves by financing and building it. The chapel was built in 1777 as proved by a document of 1776 and all fishermen of Pisciotta in common agreement obtained from the Church the legal right to administrate the earnings from fishing and sea traffic and destinated to the Church. Two owners of fishing boats were entitled to do so and moreover to build a chapel in Marina di Pisciotta. This document informs us as well that the entire costs had to be paid by the various boat owners and a quarter of their earnings had to go for the construction. In case they should not comply with this duty they should be sacked and all benefits regarding this venerable chapel withdrawn. Furthermore, their burial commonly called "sailors' burial" should not take place inside this venerable monastery. Obviously, this was a significant deterrent because not paying would have meant to have no burial in a sacred place together with their relatives and workmates.

Still today, on the 8th of September, Marina di Pisciotta celebrates la Madonna di Portosalvo, Protrectress of all sailors.

The procession by sea and land is particularly striking. Men and boys, all in white clothing and without shoes, carry the statues of the Madonna and St. Francis. The women instead carry the statue of Holy Sofia. The procession leads through the village streets. Ahead of all march the sisters and brothers of the Third Order of St. Francis. After the arrival in the Harbour all members of the procession together with the statues embark on various boats and ships and leave the port into the open sea. This is a very fascinating tradition delighting all spectators of the Marina.

This text is a summary of the pages referring to the Church of Marina di Pisciotta and described in the book "The Fief of Pisciotta between the 17th and 19th century," written by Massimino Iannone, editor Giannini,Naples,2016