If you should at some time find yourself in Piazza dell’Immacolata in the district of San Lorenzo, pay a visit (if you are lucky enough to find it open) to the Church of Santa Maria Immacolata and San Giovanni Berchmans.
Built between 1906 and 1909, this church is in one sense quite special: the decoration of its interior, the post-war work of Mario Prayer (1946-1954), depicts the “Triumph of the Virgin between Saints and Martyrs”.
However many figures to be found in the transept and central nave have been painted from photographs of men and women who died in the bombing of 19th July 1943. Take a close look at them to discern the local residents who have been portrayed among the saints and martyrs.
