It is very difficult to reconstruct the history of the “Chiesa di Sant’Antonio da Padova” (Church of St. Anthony of Padua), as there is little information about it. However, it is certain that it was built by the Orsini family, probably at the behest of Bertoldo Orsini, who was appointed Vicar and Provost of Montefalcone Appennino by Napoleone Orsini, then Rector of the Marca, as stated in a document dated August 25, 1308. Bertoldo is said to have commissioned it as the family’s noble chapel. In the 17th century, still under the Orsini, the small church underwent restoration, permanently altering its original structure. Some members of the family are buried in the “Chiesa di S. Giovanni Battista in Lungo Sasso” (church of St. John the Baptist in Luogo di Sasso), where their names can still be read on a clearly visible plaque. In later times, the church was dedicated to the worship of St. Anthony of Padua, reflecting the strong and enduring Franciscan influence that has characterized the religious history of the area.
