“Oratorio fuori porta”. That’s what they used to call the Oratorio della Natività di Maria Santissima. It means “Oratory outside the gate”.
Today we are standing before the Oratorio della Natività di Maria Santissima. It’s a former Catholic place of worship in Masone. Masone is in the metropolitan city of Genoa. Now it is used for pastoral activities and as a multi-purpose hall.
Let’s step back in time to 1665. The local brotherhood erected this oratory. This brotherhood is still active today. They own the building.
Inside the Oratorio della Natività di Maria Santissima, you would have found decorations. These stuccos dated back to the last thirty years of the 18th century.
During World War II, the brotherhood moved. German troops requisitioned the Oratorio della Natività di Maria Santissima. They used it for lodging. The brothers’ benches along the walls were destroyed. They were burned for warmth. After the Germans left, the brotherhood stayed in the former parish. The Oratorio della Natività di Maria Santissima was in bad condition.
Later, the Oratorio della Natività di Maria Santissima was divided. It became a warehouse. After some years, the brothers set up a cinema there. It didn’t last long. In the 1960s, a factory used the space for leather work.
Until the 1990s, the Pro Castello Association used it. They organized medieval shows.
Now, the Oratorio della Natività di Maria Santissima serves two purposes. The Arciconfraternita Natività di Maria SS. e San Carlo uses it for pastoral activities. It also functions as a multi-purpose hall. If you want to use it, ask the Arciconfraternita. They will check if it is available.
The Oratorio della Natività di Maria Santissima has a rich history. It has served many roles over the centuries. From a place of worship to a warehouse, cinema, and factory. It is now a community space. Its walls could tell countless stories of Masone.