Orani, Church of Our Lady of Itria

Orani is located in the Barbagia di Ollollai, more precisely at the foot of Monte Gonare (1100 m above sea level), between the plain of Ottana and the Gennargentu mountain range. The area is rich in archaeological sites starting from prehistoric times. The current configuration of Orani is the result of the union of two villages, that of San Sisto and that of Sant'Andrea.
The cult for Our Lady of Itria ('Odighitria', which indicates the way) dates back to Byzantine times but the naming is not documented in Sardinia before the penultimate decade of the 17th century.
Previously, the Oranese church was dedicated to San Giuliano. Archival research shows that in the first half of the 17th century a construction site was active there; in fact, there are many donations from private individuals destined to “that factory”.
The single-bay room has a barrel vaulted shape, with side niches in which wooden statues are placed, including that of San Giuliano, with a clear popular design and abundantly repainted. The apsidal arch has an acute sixth. The slightly raised presbytery is delimited by a marble balustrade and houses the altar in white marble with pink inserts. In the central niche there is the statue of the Madonna of Itria according to the typical iconography that represents her with the child in her arms and on her sides the two pilgrims kneeling. The work, of remarkable workmanship, still preserves the original “estofado” decoration and dates back to the second half of the seventeenth century.
In the cross vault, wall paintings depict angels and cherubs. Dated at the end of the 17th century, they were perhaps executed by the founder of the Are.
In the façade, surmounted by a curvilinear tympanum, there is a small rosette in the center and the portal in the axis. Costantino Nivola executed a graffiti decoration on its surface in 1959, depicting the Mediterranean Goddess Mater, according to the shapes preferred by the Oranese artist.

History of studies
The church has been studied mainly in relation to the wall paintings of the Ares, which decorate the presbytery, and to the graffiti by Costantino Nivola, which decorates the façade.

Bibliography by
M.G. Scano, 17th and 18th century painting and sculpture, series “History of Art in Sardinia”, Nuoro, Ilisso, 1991, sch. 180;
G. Zirottu, Orani, Nuoro, 2000.