Dal grido degli ultimi al silenzio di Dio. Biografia della Beata Maria Lorenza Longo Fondatrice dell’Ospedale Incurabili di Napoli e delle Monache Cappuccine (ca. 1463-1539)

Maria Lorenza Longo (Leiden 1463 - Naples 1539) is a splendid female figure of early sixteenth-century Naples, who for years remained hidden in the folds of archival documents and trapped in stereotypical images. This biographical profile, which finally concludes the long beatification process (begun in 1880), attempts to convey the diverse facets of this Catalan woman, wife of Joan Lonc, Regent of the Chancellery of Ferdinand the Catholic. Through detailed and accurate archival documentation, the human, social, and religious depth of Maria Longo emerges. Her works left an indelible mark on the heart of Naples' historic center, on the "sacred hill" of Capo Napoli: the Hospital of the Incurables and the Capuchin Monastery. These works testify to the strength of a charisma and managerial ability that has managed to overcome the shocks and jolts of the centuries, to reach us intact, with the claim of still being able to say something to the Naples of our "difficult" days.