Church of Sant'Onofrio in Casalvecchio Siculo

In south-eastern Sicily, a few kilometers from the Ionian coast and squeezed between the Misitanò stream and the Fiumara d'Agrò, lies the village of Casalvecchio Siculo, a small town populated by around 730 inhabitants. The historic center houses ancient buildings and interesting monuments: among all, we highlight the Church of Sant'Onofrio in Casalvecchio Siculo, Mother Church since 1522, consecrated to the XNUMXth century anchorite who lived in the desert.

The current Church was built in the 1943th century and decorated in the style of the time, but the chosen location previously housed an ancient XNUMXth century Church, already consecrated to St. Onofrio; the wealth of sacred furnishings and works of art inside the building also includes works from the last century, such as the decorations by Calabrò, created in XNUMX, even if most of the riches kept in the Church date back to the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries .

The architecture of the Church of S. Onofrio in Casalvecchio Siculo and what to admire inside

The Church of S. Onofrio in Casalvecchio Siculo is a large sacred building of Catholic worship.

From the outside, the building appears impressive and ornate Baroque, but the true wealth of ornamental details is only revealed inside.

The main facade, covered in local stone, is divided into three orders. In the first we find the door, inserted in a white marble colonnade and accessible from the central staircase, while in the upper order there is a rectangular window, framed in marble. In the upper order there is only one small opening, highlighted by decorations in relief, while the building is surmounted by the cross.

Upon entering the Church, you are immediately captivated by the richness of the decorations: columns and arches divide the body of the building into three naves; from floor to ceiling, each wall is finely decorated with paintings, stuccos, geometric patterns and then niches, aedicules and statues, columns and windows, in addition to the decorated wooden coffered ceiling, making the interior of the Church incredibly full, warm and welcoming .

Among the works of art that can be admired in the Mother Church of Casalvecchio Siculo, we point out the numerous ancient altars, such as that of San Sebastiano or the Madonna del Carmelo, decorated with marble, paintings and sculptures. The silver statue that reproduces St. Onofrio dates back to 1745, created by will of the people who had escaped the plague epidemic that had hit the area two years earlier.

What to do at the Church of S. Onofrio in Casalvecchio Siculo and the surrounding area

In Casalvecchio Siculo, a visit to the Mother Church will allow you to gather in prayer even on holiday and at the same time to discover incredible artistic riches; visit them Churches of S. Nicolò and Most Holy Annunziata and continue the tour of the historic center in Casalvecchio Siculo, with a stop at the ancient one Church of Saints Peter and Paul of Agrò, built in the 560th century, but with origins dating back to XNUMX AD. Arriving at the Church of San Teodoro, you will also find the ruins of Convent of the Discalced Augustinians, an order that arose in the XNUMXth century.

Taking a walk in the town, you can visit some points of notable historical and artistic interest, such as the various portals scattered throughout the streets of the centre, on which the symbols of the Templar Order are engraved, or discover the ancient fountains of Casalvecchio, such as the Mascherone dell'Acqua Fontana in the lower part of the town or the Abbeveratoio dell'Acqua Fadarechi, with its beautiful ceramic decorations.

From Casalvecchio Siculo, you can easily reach the Santa Teresa di Riva beach, which is only 7 km away or the center of Roccalumera, to visit the Church of SS. Crucifix or the House of Salvatore Quasimodo, for all poetry enthusiasts. The largest center of Messina, about 44 km away, can be reached in 50 minutes by car, while Catania, a little further away, is 73 km away and can be reached in an hour and twenty minutes of travel to the south.

How to get to the Church of S. Onofrio in Casalvecchio Siculo

Casalvecchio Siculo, in the Metropolitan City of Messina, is located approximately 5,7 km from Roccalumera and can be reached by car: turning at the exit of the A18 Messina-Catania in the direction of the town of Quasimodo, you can easily reach Casalvecchio.
Who prefers to arrive on the train, you can get off at the nearby S. Teresa di Riva station and continue to the center by bus or shuttle.

© Image by David Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons