San Panfilo di Ocre

The Santissimo Salvatore church, situated within the main square of San Panfilo, is called extra to distinguish it from the church of the same name intus (which is the one built within the walls of the Castle of Ocre). The church presents an asymmetric façade due to 19th century modifications. Of the original 14th century construction some architectonic features are noticeable. On the right side of the 17th century portal with architrave there are some elements of the medieval portal with lunette, including the supporting structure and its floral open-work. The church was transformed in the last quarter of the 16th century. The spacious inside area has been entirely reconstructed in the last century. However, from side doors it is possible to identify older structures which preserve traces of 15th century frescos and reveal the style of the medieval vault.

The church of San Panfilo

The church of San Panfilo, although documented since 932 as belonging to the Monastery of Farfa, shows elements of mainly 13th century origin even though it has been subsequently modified in the 16th century. The flat façade of the church is characterized by a simple portal with a lunette contained within a rectangular frame. On the architrave stone, a Franciscan coat of arms of San Bernardino has at its sides the late 16th century inscription : Hoc Opus Fieri Fecit Iosephi Rioci Procurator / 1582. On the left side there is another entrance with a lunette.

The inside of the church has three naves covered by two wooden sloping structures and three spans composed by massive supporting arches. The chancel space is divided into three rectangular areas juxtaposed and cross covered (the area on the right has been transformed into a sacristy, it is walled and can be accessed from the central area which acts as a chancel). Along the walls and in the left Cappellone there is a vast array of 16th century frescos by various artists and of various eras. Among the most significant examples, on the left side there is a Mary with child enthroned with saints, with the outstanding figure of Sant'amico di Rambona on the right. There is also a Mary with child and Saint Catherine of Alexandria, which is a naïve painting and an unusual Mary standing with joined hands.

The end wall of the left Cappellone is filled with an enormous scene representing the ascent to the Mount Calvary. On the right wall, in a painted niche altar there is a Mary of Rosary fresco with the Mistery sequence. Giovanni Paolo Cardone is considered to be the author particularly because of the hieratic and solemn posture of Mary, a feature that can be found in many of his subsequent paintings and in particular in those of "Rosario" of 1580 at Pescocostanzo and of 1583 in Fossa, where the second replicates the first.

In the chancel, embedded in the right wall, is a tombstone with the high relief figure of Bernardino Pavone and an inscription dated 1515 in which his wife Drusiana commemorates him and remembers him as a nobleman of Ocre on his mother's side. Above it lies a small statue of Saint Anthony of Padua in reference to the celebration of the Saint established by the same family.

Santa Maria dei Raccomandati church is situated soon after the village of San Panfilo on the road that leads to Fossa. There is no documentation related to this church earlier than the 17th century and it is probable that the date of 1606 which appears on the simple timpan portal is the date of its construction. In this locality there are also 18th century churches of Saint Anthony (at present a private church) and that of Mary of "Gongoli" or of "Cuncoli" which belongs to a cemetery.