Church of San Michele Arcangelo

The 17^st century chronicles recount that the municipality had the Church of San Michele Arcangelo built to thank Michael the Archangel for the protection he granted to the Vasto inhabitants in 1656, when in addition to earthquake tremors a plague epidemic struck the town. The headstone on the façade testifies to these events affirming the erection of the church in 1675. In 1827, with the pope’s confirmation, Saint Michael was proclaimed the patron of Vasto, following the extraordinary and miraculous events that the population attributed to him. Devotion to the patron saint of the city is deeply felt by the population still today and the little church of San Michele holds a special place in the hearts of the Vasto inhabitants.
The church still preserves the main wooden altar gilded in pure gold, work that is to be attributed to a Venetian artist. The interior, with an octagonal plan, is adorned at the corners of its six sides with 17^th-century wooden statues representing the Archangels of the Holy Scriptures. The most outstanding among all is that of the Saint and Protector on the main altar, the valuable work of an unknown Venetian artist of the 17^th century, made of wood gilded with pure gold and embellished by necklaces and jewels offered by the population as ex-voto offerings.