The Convent of Our Lady of Graces in Morlupo stands on an ancient Franciscan site, a place of retreat and prayer. It is better known as the Convent of the Our Lady the Second, because of the veneration of a painting of the Virgin and Child believed to be the second Madonna painted by St. Luke and, therefore, the Our Lady the Second.
The Convent was built by the Clareni (also known as the Fraticelli/Little Brethren) in the 13th century. The Little Brethren (also known as the Fraticelli de paupere vita/Brethren in the life of poverty) were founded in 1318 by Angelo Clareno (1245-1337, also known as Clareno of Cingoli), a Franciscan monk of great culture who was excommunicated for being on the Spirituals side. This did not stop him from creating a new community, which greatly resembled the structure of the previous one as he imagined and then created an independent Franciscan order.
The convent of Our Lady the Second was the result of the situation created in late 14th – early 15th century when the Franciscan Order was agitated by internal struggles which lead to the division of the Order into different currents of thought over the most faithful interpretation and intention of the orginal Rule and how to live the community experience in the true spirit of the Founder.
There is a trace of the ancient Clareno hermitage in the remaining part of the fresco on the right wall of the church.
A pillar in the cloister bears the inscription A.D: MLXXV (1525). The complex grew up around the cloister which has a well in its centre still used today. One cloister wall leans against the church while the wall facing that holds the refectory.
The Convent was expanded between 1628 and 1633 when the acqueduct was built to gather the waters from the existing source in the agricultural holding known as Possessione.
St. Charles of Sezze, having finished his novitiate, was transferred to the convent for a year in 1636, and here he performed his first tasks in humble occupations such as gardener and kitchen hand.

Galleria fotografica