The earliest information regarding the church is to be found in an 8th century document, in which it is attributed, with all its property, to the Benedictine monastic family.The current architectural layout dates back to 1282 when the church was rebuilt in Burgundian style.
More changes were made in 1559 with the addition of the portico, the main entrance, the polygonal apse, inclusion of large windows and a side entrance to the internal hall. The lower part of bell tower is medieval, the upper part is Renaissance. The portal (1559), decorated with an inscription in praise of the Madonna, leads into the Gothic hall, characterised by a beautiful suite of ogee arches.
The interior is splendidly decorated with paintings and the most interesting are those on the right hand bays and on counter facade. The 15th century frescoes on the right propose a different theme for each bay, including female worship in the first bay, the story of St James of Compostela as he succours pilgrims in the third, the ex voto in the fourth and the stories of St Thomas Aquinas in the fifth.
The counter facade is illustrated with the largest paintings in Abruzzo, partly executed using encaustic technique, and depicting a special Judgement theme, derived from a vision of the hereafter that appeared to Alberico da Settefrati when he was seven years old.