Right in the historic center of Naples, a small church hides one of the city's strangest and most controversial relics. It is a skull with ears that, for centuries, has been an object of faith and popular rituals.
The skull is kept in the Church of Santa Luciella, a tiny temple that was closed for years and has now once again begun to attract devotees. The story blends religion, superstition, and traditions that are deeply rooted in Neapolitan culture.
The history of the Church of Santa Luciella
Santa Luciella was founded in the year 1327, in what during the Roman era was known as the vicus Cornelianus. It is a Baroque church with a single nave and small dimensions.
Over the centuries, it was a place of worship for different trades. Among them were the pipernieri, miners who worked with piperno, a volcanic stone that could damage eyesight. For that reason, they chose Saint Lucy, protector of the eyes, as their patron saint: the name "Luciella" arose as a diminutive, in reference to the size of the temple.
The closure, abandonment, and recovery
In 1980, a strong earthquake affected the structure of the building. The church closed and remained abandoned for more than 35 years.
Only in 2016 did the cultural association Respiriamo Arte manage to rescue it after finding references in books about lost churches. When they rediscovered it, it was being used as a private parking lot.
