Located at the end of our street is an unassuming building, the Oratorio of San Pierino. The building is small and the façade is plain, except for two glazed terracotta emblems, one adorning the wall and the other decorating the doorway.
The sign in front of the building explains that the building was once the home of the Confraternity of St. Peter the Great. A confraternity is a religious brotherhood of lay men committed to performing charitable works in anonymity. The brothers often wear cloaks and hoods to hide their identities.
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| The Annunciation |
The plain exterior belies the ornate interior, which is decorated with frescoes from the late 1500's. The frescoes depict religious subjects, the most interesting of which are the martyrdoms of various saints, including St. Peter. The depictions are interesting because the images are realistic and the faces look so pained.
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| The Martyrdom of St. Peter by Bernardino Poccetti (1586) |
In this instance, you can't judge a book by its cover.
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