Church of the Assumption in Nizza di Sicilia

Nizza di Sicilia is a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Messina inhabited by about 3.500 people and overlooking the Ionian coast of Sicily.
The inhabited area of ​​the municipality extends along the coast, between the waterways Fiumedinisi to the north and Pagliara to the south, while the heart of the village is the Leandro Casapinta district, where near Via Umberto I stands the Church of the Assunta in Nizza di Sicilia, dedicated to the patroness of the town.

The church that can be seen today in via Umberto I was built in 1983, as a definitive tribute to the town to the cult of the Virgin, widespread throughout the territory since the nineteenth century. At that time, in fact, a first church already stood in the same place, built with the completely free help of the faithful of the time; it was 1892 and on August 15th, the whole village celebrated the new place of worship, also carrying a papier-mâché statue in triumph, dedicated to the Virgin and subsequently kept in the Mother Church.

Over the years, however, the original building begins to become inadequate with respect to the needs of the community, which around half of thetwenties of the twentieth century in a loud voice he began to ask for the enlargement of the Mother Church.

The answer came only many years later, in 1954, when the necessary funds were finally allocated to build a new and larger Church to be consecrated to the Assumption. The New Church of the Assumption in Nizza di Sicilia was inaugurated in 1957.
The works for the construction of this new building, however, proved to be inadequate and the Church soon began to show signs of instability: the two attempts to renovate the sacred building were useless, which was finally demolished.

In 1979 work began on the new, definitive Church of the Assumption in Nizza di Sicilia. Built in a modern style, the Church was completed in 1983 and the statue of the Virgin, made of wood in the XNUMXs, was also placed inside.

The architecture of the church of the Assunta in Nizza di Sicilia and the works that are kept there

The Church of the Assumption in Nizza di Sicilia is a modern style church, a low rise and light colored building, which is accessed via a portico, passing through one of the two large glazed doors. The most characteristic elements of the Church on the outside are certainly the bell tower and the representation of the Assumption made in ceramic by the artist from Nice Nina Bertuccio, added in 2017.

Upon entering you can admire the stained glass windows, the mosaics and the terracotta statues representing the stages of the Via Crucis. Furthermore, the wooden statue of the Virgin is also kept in the church today.

What to do at the Assunta church in Nizza di Sicilia and its surroundings

Gathering in prayer and following the functions during Mass time is permitted for all visitors who wish to dedicate a few moments to recollection even on vacation; once in the church, you can admire the sacred furnishings, the stained glass windows, the terracotta statues.

On August 15th, the Assumption is always celebrated with a large procession through the town and this religious festival can be the right occasion to discover the Mother Church as well.

However, at any time of the year, Nizza di Sicilia awaits you with its numerous artistic beauties: in addition to the Mother Church, in the village you can visit the Church of San Giuseppe and the Castle of Alcontres, without forgetting a stop at the Palace of the Museum of the Risorgimento to conclude the tour in the country.
From here, however, you can also discover the treasures of the surroundings: the Saracen Tower located on the seafront, the Rufo Ruffo Castle just 11 km from the village or the Monastery of San Placido Calonerò, a little further north.

The Monastery is a place of recollection and meditation, where tourists can contemplate the Renaissance building, now in disuse but still fascinating, in great calm and tranquillity. The Rufo Ruffo Castle, in the village of Scaletta Zanclea, it was a defensive bulwark built in the 1400th century and is now all to be admired, while the Saracen Tower of Roccalumera was a watchtower and was built in XNUMX, probably on the remains of an even more ancient tower.

A piece of advice for those arriving in Sicily to discover so many marvels is to also try the local cuisine: in these parts at aperitif time you eat chickpea Socca (or Farinata) and Pissaladière, focaccia stuffed with onions, sardines and black olives.

How to get to the church of the Assunta in Nizza di Sicilia

Nizza di Sicilia is located about 36 km from the strait and arriving in the village to visit the Mother Church is easy: you travel by car or train to reach the coastal village.
Those who choose the car can take the A18 Messina-Catania and exit at Roccalumera (just 3,4 m from the centre) or the A20 to reach the town by taking the exit for Messina-S.Filippo, about 20 km away . Those who prefer the train can get off at the Santa Teresa di Riva station and travel the distance of about 6 km to the center using the bus or shuttle service.