Convent of Santa Maria del Gesù

The convent of Santa Maria del Gesù vulgo di Sant'Antonio, more simply called the convent of Sant'Antonio. It is a Christian religious complex of Catholic rite, with an adjoining homologous church, currently home to a community of minor friars (Franciscans), initially entitled to Santa Maria del Gesù and then to Sant'Antonio da Padova. It falls within the archdiocese of Acerenza.

The monastery was founded in 1482 on the initiative of Francesco Zurolo (posthumously and by testamentary will) and Caterina Zurolo (his daughter), lords of Oppido Lucano and other lands. The complex is located approximately 1.5 km. from the town centre, along the road that connects Oppido Lucano with Tolve, a hamlet of the city of Oppido where the structure is located.

The first news of the foundation of the convent
He was the founder of the convent complex – in 1480, who, when he was still alive, made a will and among other things issued a testamentary disposition, appointing his daughter Caterina Zurolo to carry out the construction work of a religious complex in Oppido Lucano after his death consisting of a convent (today known as Santa Maria del Gesù, then of Sant'Antonio) with the adjoining church of Sant'Antonio in Oppido Lucano; the aforementioned works began in 1482 as denoted by the foundation stone: "MCCCCLXXXII | FRANCISCO ZVRVLO | FECIT".

Other events
The convent was handed over to the Basilicata commissioner before 1484, to replenish the small number of convents in the possession of the Lucanian friars.

In 1593 it became the home of the reformed friars.

It was enlarged during the 17th century the convent quickly became one of the most important of the reform ones in the Lucanian province.

In 1851, a Novitiate under the title of Sacred Retreat of Oppido.

At the beginning of 1900, after the suppression of the religious orders carried out by the government of the young Kingdom of Italy, the convent regained its friars and the municipality of Oppido Lucano granted the building and the surrounding land for perpetual use to the friars minor of Basilicata.

The location of the convent and its internal composition
It is located about 1.5 km. away. from the town centre, along the road that connects Oppido Lucano with Tolve. At its entrance there is the foundation stone of the convent, still visible and intact. There is an internal church consisting of two naves, with an ancient seventeenth-century organ still functioning. The convent has two cloisters inside and there is also a library with over 5000 volumes.

Artistic works preserved inside
The convent houses a picture gallery with restored works created between the beginning of the 17th and the end of the 18th century and a library with over 5000 volumes.

The church houses a 17th century organ, with original pipes still functioning. The choir is made of wood and carved, it is fire-dated to 1547 with inlaid panels dating back to the early 1400s, probably coming from the Abbey of Sant'Angelo del Bosco, an abbey destroyed by the earthquake of 1456.

Inside there are a polyptych and a triptych by Antonio Stabile da Potenza, with numerous canvases and panels, dating back to around 1560-70.

In around 1611 Giovanni Todisco created on the north side of the cloister of the convent, where there are three communicating rooms, some tempera murals arranged on opposite lunettes and depicting the story of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Franciscan saints and the birth of Jesus.

In 1980, a bronze door was created by Father Tarcisio Manta, on which some miracles of Saint Anthony and his death are depicted.

Restorations
In 1973, restoration work was carried out on the convent and some wall paintings by Giovanni Todisco were found.

The new renovations and redevelopment works of the convent
In February 2023, the mayor of the municipality of Oppido Lucano established an ordinance with which he sanctioned a redevelopment work of the convent structure to make it become a welcoming place for cultural and musical events once the works are completed.

Dedications

 * In one of the internal rooms of the convent of Santa Maria del Gesù known as Sant'Antonio, in Oppido Lucano, there is a fresco created by the Italian artist Giovanni Todisco, around 1611, depicting the baron and knight Francesco Zurolo with the halberd held in right hand and with a scroll in the left, he wears late medieval plate armor and helmet.
 * There is a particular fresco in which Jesus Christ is represented blessing various characters Jesus Christ is depicted blessing various characters from the early medieval era, at his feet there are two female figures, the lower one in orange and red clothes of an early medieval baroness is represented by Caterina Zurolo.