Church of Death

Originally called Santa Maria del Piano, the Chiesa della Morte (Church of Death) stands in the heart of Molfetta's old town. 

Many stories have been passed down about this place, always watched over by the members of the Arciconfraternita del Sacco Nero, or della Morte (Archconfraternity of the Black Sack, or of Death).

In the past, the main purpose of the archconfraternity and of the Chiesa della Morte was tied to the need to give the dead a dignified burial. Burials took place inside the church, with bodies laid in a communal pit that led directly out to sea.

Today, the role of the Confraternita della Morte is mainly linked to the rites of Holy Week, and in particular to the Processione della Pietà, held on Holy Saturday.