| The Convent of San Michele, also known as the Convent of the Cappuccinelle, was erected according to Gianbattista Protontino’s wish. In his will dated 1649 the noble man bequeathed his entire estate on one condition: the possessions would have been assigned to the foundation of a convent “ of poor orphan girls, pious citizens’ daughters born of legitimate marriage” if Laura had not given birth to direct heirs. Such a will was later confirmed by Donna Laura Protontino on March 27th 1686. The foundation stone for the new building was laid on May 6th 1713, and exactly fifty years later, on June 13th1763, two nuns from the Tarentine Convent of Santa Chiara and ten orphan girls stepped into the new structure followed by a stream of churchgoers and clergymen, including the local Archbishop Monsignor Saverio Mastrilli. |