Church of Sant'Agrippina in Mineo

In Mineo, in the province of Catania, there is a beautiful church which dates back to the 1700 and which has experienced various vicissitudes in the previous centuries. We are talking about the Church of Sant'Agrippina in Mineo, a very suggestive place that is absolutely worth a visit, also because in its surroundings you can discover many other magical places that will certainly capture the visitor's attention. Here, then, is everything you need to know about the parish of Sant'Agrippina in Mineo, to organize a trip in the best possible way.

The parish of Sant'Agrippina in Mineo: history of the place

What makes the parish of Sant'Agrippina in Mineo really special is the fact that it was built on one pre-existing structure which dates back to 263 AD. Here Sant'Eupresia decided to found an oratory where she kept the remains and other objects dear to Sant'Agrippina, martyr and virgin, which she herself had collected from Rome after an adventurous journey. In 312 San Severino, who at the time was the bishop of Catania, the consecrated to basilica but a few centuries later, during the Arab invasions which also affected this area of ​​Sicily, the basilica was transformed into a mosque.

With the reconquest operations by the Christian armies, however, a few decades later the Arabs were driven back from the other side of the coast, therefore the Church of Sant'Agrippina in Mineo returned to being a place of Christian worship but a tremendous earthquake in 1169 almost completely razed it to the ground. Many centuries passed before the structure was restored as it took place only in the fourteenth century while another century later, precisely in 1556, the church of Sant'Agrippina obtained the consecration as a collegiate church.

Unfortunately, the problems were not over yet for this suggestive structure which is located at the top of a hill . In fact, in 1693 another violent earthquake razed it completely to the ground and spared only the apse. Only a few years later, in about 1700, the reconstruction works were started but they were never really completed since the main facade is still bare.

Architecture and works of art present in the parish of Sant'Agrippina in Mineo

As regards its current structure, the Church of Sant'Agrippina in Mineo has a Greek cross plan and therefore has three naves. The exterior is quite bare, in almost rough stone, but it is inside that some can be admired hidden treasures . The naves, in fact, are richly decorated with stuccos that can be traced back to the Serpotta school, while nineteenth-century frescoes, created by Sebastiano Lo Monaco and Barone, which represent scenes from the life of Christ and the episode in which Sant'Agrippina hunts away the Arab invaders are a prominent feature of the hotel.

The main attraction of the church, however, is certainly the wooden statue which is dedicated to the patron saint and which depicts her in her youth. The work was created in 1518 by Vincenzo Archifel, well known at the time. Finally, some other masterpieces kept inside are worth mentioning, such as the altar dedicated to the Nativity, a XNUMXth-century marble sarcophagus and other valuable canvases. Also worth a visit are the basements which are probably part of the remains of an ancient castrum from the Byzantine era.

What you can do around the Church of Sant'Agrippina in Mineo

In addition to visiting the Church of Sant'Agrippina, a trip to Mineo will allow you to admire much more. For example, the current city ​​Hall, which is in an old Jesuit college, is a structure that was built in the seventeenth century and in 1767 became the municipal seat at the behest of the Bourbons, at the time king of the Two Sicilies or the Capuana Palace, birthplace of the writer Luigi Capuana.

Archeology lovers will instead appreciate the Palike area, a natural oasis which aims to preserve the local fauna and flora. Inside, however, there are the remains of a wonderful temple dedicated to the Palici brothers, i.e. children of Zeus and Talea. Finally, a short distance away there is also the mongialino castle which is a thirteenth century structure which however incorporates the remains of a pre-existing building given that the area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. Of the castle in particular, a very well-preserved tower remains.

How to get to Mineo

Mineo can be easily reached from both Catania and Palermo by car. In the first case, the road to take is the Ss. 417 following the signs for Gela, then it is necessary to continue on the Provincial Road 181 which leads to the destination.
From Palermo, on the other hand, take the A19 motorway to the Enna exit, then continue on the Sp.192 and then on the Ss. 417 until you reach Mineo.
The locality can also be reached in train but in a less easy way since the closest station is that of Militello and from there it is necessary to continue with a local bus service.
In the same way you can always arrive from Palermo and Catania with the bus numbers , which are the most convenient way to reach your destination.

© Charles Blangiforte, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons