The Museum of the Venerable Confraternity of Mercy of Pontremoli, opened in 2009, was created to pass on the memory of the glorious voluntary association which is still today a flagship of the community. The museum traces the history of the Confraternity, one of the oldest in Italy, through a unique collection of objects, documents and means of transport. Inside the museum it is possible to observe perfectly restored horse-drawn hearses, litters and carriages dating back to the 1900s.

«A historical prospectus printed in Florence in 1856 reports that the Mercy of Pontremoli was founded in 1262 under the title of San Giovanni Decollato. The Misericordie have their origins in the first forms of participation of citizens in the life of the community which took the name of Confraternities. The Mercy of Pontremoli has its roots in the Confraternity of the Disciplinati of San Lorenzo. Documents preserved in the State Archives of Florence among the ranks of religious companies suppressed by Pietro Leopoldo attest that the Confraternity of San Lorenzo was based in the Church of San Lorenzo outside the walls, located within the current “ex Cementi” area , in the place where the ruined Villa Ceppellini is today. Shortly before 1517, the Company decided to build a small house near the church of Santa Cristina with the function of headquarters, where a new oratory was then built, also dedicated to San Lorenzo. At the same time he began to build the oratory of San Terenziano above Mignegno. The Confraternity of San Lorenzo also began to be called “della Misericordia” from 1574. […]

The primary function recognized to the Misericordia was that of assisting, consoling and accompanying those sentenced to death to the gallows, a task in which the brothers proved to be, according to the people, very diligent and pious. […]

The primary function recognized to the Misericordia was that of assisting, consoling and accompanying those sentenced to death to the gallows, a task in which the brothers proved to be, according to the people, very diligent and pious. […]

The Confraternity of San Lorenzo, increasingly called San Giò Decollato or della Misericordia, was suppressed by Pietro Leopoldo with the Motuproprio dated 21 March 1785. In that year an “Inventory of all sacred furniture and furnishings” was drawn up. With the suppression of the Confraternity, the oratory of San Lorenzo was used as an archive of the Ecclesiastical Heritage and, later, was reduced to the use of a civil house. Following the request of some devoted brothers, the Company was restored with the “Benigno Rescript” of 16 August 1791 and since then it has had its headquarters in the former parish church of San Giacomo del Campo. (edited by M. Angella, A. Bazzigalupi e P. Lapi)

photos: arch. Elia Santini