A friend sent me a link to a picture with an explanation. It says: Sculpture in honor of the - Suffragio dei Morti- located, on the rear side of a church, as seen from the Grand Canal in Venice. In the old Venetian Republic, the -Suffragi- were ancient religious congregations of lay people, who share the same profession, who set out helping the poor people in the name of catholic saints and religious figures. After 1797, Napoleon dissolved them all.
The carved text says: - MD LX - D.O.M. - SVFFRAGIO AGREGATO ALL'ARCICONFRATERNITA DEL SVFFRAGIO DE MORTI IN ROMA -
Translated from Italian language is: - 1660, DEO OPTIMO MAXIMO, CONGREGATION LINKED WITH THE ARCHI-CONFRATERNITY OF CHARITY FOR THE DEADS IN ROME-
Comments
The carved text says:
- MD LX - D.O.M. - SVFFRAGIO AGREGATO ALL'ARCICONFRATERNITA DEL SVFFRAGIO DE MORTI IN ROMA -
Translated from Italian language is:
- 1660, DEO OPTIMO MAXIMO, CONGREGATION LINKED WITH THE ARCHI-CONFRATERNITY OF CHARITY FOR THE DEADS IN ROME-