Museum of Popular Devotion
A Journey into Art and Faith
The Museum of Popular Devotion will be an important cultural and spiritual reference point, dedicated to the collection and valorization of popular religious expressions that have characterized our history. The exhibition aims to offer visitors a complete and fascinating overview of religious devotion, from the 19th century to today.
Located in the historic Casa Ricci of 1623, in the picturesque town of Equi Terme, the Museum will be an authentic treasure chest of religious treasures. Casa Ricci, with its centuries-old architecture and timeless charm, will provide the ideal context for an immersive experience in the history of popular devotion.
The museum will not be limited to the display of holy pictures, commonly known as holy cards, but will also present a rich selection of works of art and historical documents. Among the goods on display will be:
- Paintings and Oil Paintings : Portraits and religious scenes that reflect the evolution of sacred art over time.
- Woodcuts : Printing techniques that offer an interesting insight into artistic representations of popular devotion.
- Religious Books and Texts : A selection of historical texts documenting the religious practices and beliefs of the past.
- Statuettes and medallions : Cult objects that will enrich the visual and historical narrative of the museum.
- Holy Cards and Relics: They are the most important part of the exhibition with over 14,000 samples.
The museum will exhibit a selection of holy cards from the vast collection, comprising over 14,000 pieces. Each sacred image will be carefully curated to reflect the variety and richness of popular devotion over the centuries.
The exhibition will be held on the first floor of the Ricci house and the exhibition will be divided into three rooms
Room one: This is the first room you come across upon entering. Here, rotating exhibitions offered by AMI and the collection will be held.
- Room two: Here you can see thematic exhibitions.
- Room three: This is the room where the main part of the popular devotion exhibition is concentrated.
Volumes from the private library of the Mazza-Tomà family will be exhibited; rare and precious texts will be exhibited that document theology, prayers and historical religious practices. Each book is an open window on past eras.
The Museum of Popular Devotion was born with the aim of preserving and celebrating a unique heritage of art and faith that has spanned generations.
Our story begins in the 1990s with a series of exhibitions of the Mazza-Tomà Collection. These exhibitions were held in various locations, including parish halls in La Spezia (Cadimare, Fabiano, Campiglia), the Calice Castle in Cornoviglio, the former parish theatre of Fezzano in Portovenere and in Bastremoli (Follo). On the occasion of the Jubilee of 2000, an exhibition was inaugurated by Bishop Bassano Staffieri at the Salvador Allende Centre in La Spezia.
During the new millennium, we organized thematic exhibitions at the Parish of Isola, the Oratory of Felettino in La Spezia and the Casa Ricci in Equi Terme, in Lunigiana, where the collection found its definitive home.
Below are some articles from the period published in the magazine "Santini et Similia" and in the newspapers L'Avvenire, La Repubblica and La Nazione.
The Museum of Popular Devotion will be curated and managed by AMI - Associazione Menerva Italia, an organization with a long experience in cultural heritage. Thanks to the dedication and professionalism of the Association, the museum will be not only an exhibition space, but also a study and research center, dedicated to promoting knowledge and understanding of popular religious traditions.
With its imminent inauguration, the Museum of Popular Devotion will be ready to welcome visitors and offer a unique, immersive and inspiring experience, which will allow them to explore and appreciate the richness and variety of popular devotion over the centuries.