Mother Church of Buscemi

Buscemi, in the Free Municipal Consortium of SIRACUSA, rises about 760 meters above sea level and among the architectural beauties of the town, the Mother Church of Buscemi: located at the top of the hill on which the town stands, the sacred building is dedicated to the cult of the Virgin Mary. The dedication is reinforced by a nineteenth-century work positioned in the Church, which represents the Madonna.

The current Mother Church of Buscemi was built after the earthquake that in 1693 destroyed Buscemi and the entire Val di Noto, including the previous Mother Church of the town, which had already been located for centuries right where the new Church now stands. The building was completed only in 1769, with the works for the main facade, designed by the architect Francesco Maria Sortino, while works from the XNUMXth century are kept inside the church.

The Mother Church is the beating heart of the community: here all the faithful gather in prayer and especially the younger ones can put themselves to the test with various activities, such as creation of the crib, where the Nativity is represented in full size.

The architecture of the Mother Church of Buscemi and the works it houses

La Nativity in Buscemi it takes place in the churchyard of the Mother Church, from which one then enters the sacred building.

The main facade, which is characterized by the harmonious connection of shapes and decorations, is divided into three orders and in the highest we find the bell cell. From the facade protrude the statues of Saints Peter and Paul, as well as angels. In the center of the prospectus stands the shield showing the image of Mary in swaddling clothes.

The interior of the building, where there are marble columns of different styles, is divided into three naves and characterized by the presence of marble altars along the aisles; the style that predominates is the Barocco and among the works that can be admired inside the Mother Church of Buscemi, we find the Altarpiece of the Immaculate Conception, made in 1736 by painter Antonio Manoli.

What to do at the Mother Church of Buscemi and in the surroundings

Admiring the Mother Church and discovering all the works of art it holds (both by famous and lesser-known artists) is what you can do in the church, perhaps before or after attending Mass together with members of the local community.

Then take advantage of a visit to this place of worship, to discover all the other attractions and monuments of the town: Buscemi is populated by less than 1000 inhabitants, but the number of churches and attractions to visit is truly surprising.

In addition to the Mother Church (Church of the Nativity of Maria Santissima) you will find the Church of St. James , Church of Sant'Antonio da Padova, Church of San Sebastiano Martire , Church of Carmine: these places of worship transmit with their power and with their beauty, all the devotion that Buscemi has shown towards the religious sphere over the centuries.

But the territory of Buscemi, populated since the Bronze Age, is rich in monuments that also tell the story of the place: the ruins of the Requisenz Castle e Casmene, are important testimonies of the past that recall the Arab domination and the Syracusan colony.

Il symbol of the country is to rely onFresco of the Madonna del Bosco, where today stands the Sanctuary in honor of the Virgin, another stage of yours tour to discover Buscemi.

Buscemi is located in the south-eastern hinterland of Sicily and is about 51 km from Syracuse, while with a journey of about 69 km you will also arrive in Catania. The coastal stretch that from Catania to Syracuse overlooks the Ionian Sea is full of beaches, all to be discovered.

How to get to the Mother Church of Buscemi

Buscemi, in the Free Municipal Consortium of Syracuse, can be easily reached by car and by train.

By car:, take the Catania-Siracusa motorway and continue to the Priolo-Gargallo exit, the closest to the town at about 25 km; on the train, you can get off at Ragusa Station, which is 23 km from the town and will welcome you with buses and shuttles, which will take you to the centre. Alternatively, Syracuse station is 35 km from Buscemi.

David Mauro, via Wikimedia Commons