The church is given its current layout, in the shape of a Greek cross, with two chapels in the transept and two smaller ones along the nave. The entire building, in late Baroque style, is rhythmically structured with stucco columns and pilasters, adorned with frescoes and reliefs. The harmonious little balconies of the choir lofts are located in the apse area.
In 1855, the two chapels to the right and left of the entrance were opened. In 1856, the church facade was modified: framed by pilasters and crowned by a neoclassical-inspired pediment, it serves as a projecting front with a vast elevation for the entire complex.

Description: The venerated object is a painting depicting the Virgin and Child, placed in the choir of the church. The attribution of this work cannot be definitively determined, but its rigorous compositional structure, sculptural strength, and chromatic solidity suggest it belongs to the Roman-Neapolitan cultural sphere of the 17th century. There have been no changes to the devotional object, but personal items belonging to the saint considered the founder of the church are noted: the inkwell used by St. Paul, a pen holder, an ink holder, and a sand holder for drying writing. Also present are a lamp used by the saint for reading, his breviary, a leather and cloth sandal, a cloth slipper, a small cylindrical leather travel bag, a pocket watch with its case, and keys for winding it.
First used: in the year 1737.
Epiphany: Tradition recounts that the Virgin appeared to St. Paul of the Cross.
Image: Painting.
Relic: Bones, Other.

Original location of the Sanctuary: The ex-votos were placed near the painting of the Madonna.
Type of ex-votos: Painted tablets, Jewelry items.
Current preservation: For security reasons, the current location is not provided.

The attested miracles all refer to St. Paul. On March 4, 1733, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the Church of the Presentation, but the lack of water in that location created significant difficulties. One day, while St. Paul was in Piombino for Lent, Gian Battista took hold of a cross, knelt down, and upon rising, ordered the workers to dig at that spot in the ground. After the first strikes, an abundant and clear spring suddenly gushed forth.

There are various publications about the founding legend of the religious building, all included in the Lives of St. Paul of the Cross. They recount that on September 8, 1721, the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Paolo Danei of Ovada, a young Piedmontese man who had embarked from Genoa to Rome, was forced to stop in the Cala of Monte Argentario. He had set sail to make a pilgrimage to the City of the Apostles. Gazing at the panorama of Monte Argentario, he remembered that one day, while praying before an image of the Virgin, he heard a voice commanding him to go to Monte Argentario. Thus, he decided to continue to Rome but to return to that place. Indeed, he returned and went to the ruins of the Hermitage of the Annunciation, taking up residence in an ancient cell where an Annunciation fresco was still visible on the altar. He obtained permission from the bishop to relocate there. Following a series of intricate events, St. Paul moved to the nearby hermitage of St. Anthony, where, in 1733, the Virgin appeared to him, revealing her will: he was to build a church there dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple.

This entry was compiled by Beatrice Sordini.
The priests of this congregation committed to assisting the nearby parishes of Porto Santo Stefano.

58019 Monte Argentario, Province of Grosseto, Italy