The Mother Church of Santa Caterina Vergine di Salaparuta

The Parish of Santa Caterina Vergine in Salaparuta is the Catholic place of worship in the small village in the Free Municipal Consortium of Trapani, about 77 km from the city. It is part of the Diocese of Mazara del Vallo and is located, surrounded by greenery, in the center of the town with access from Via Leonardo da Vinci.

The first thing that attracts the attention of visitors from the churchyard is that the Mother Church of Salaparuta is a church with a completely modern style : this is because the small town, now populated by about 1.500 people, was completely destroyed by a great earthquake in January 1968 and the remains of the village are still visible in the old part of the town.
During the seventies of the last century, however, the community rebuilt both the town and its church, dedicated to Saint Catherine, Virgin and Martyr.

Santa Caterina she lived between the third and fourth centuries AD in Egypt and the story of her life, between reality and legend, tells us of a young orphan daughter of a king, asked in marriage by many but eager to consecrate her life to the Lord; she refusing to abandon her faith in front of the emperor's requests, she was sentenced to death, with the martyrdom of the cogwheel. Since the instrument of torture did not kill the young woman, Caterina was beheaded.

The architecture of the Church of Santa Caterina in Salaparuta and the works it houses

The Parish of Santa Caterina Virgin and Martyr in Salaparuta is a great example of sacred architecture of our times, in fact the structure, together with the whole town, was built starting from the seventies of the twentieth century.

The Parish is located in a large bricked square with geometric motifs and surrounded by the green foliage of the trees. In the' large courtyard there are stairs and benches, as well as open corridors delimited by wooden columns and surmounted by metal structures, which guide the faithful towards the entrance of the Church. To access it is necessary to climb some steps.

Il bell tower of the Church, considerably taller than the structure, stands out with its tower next to the Church, but is separated from it by a few meters. The bell tower is in concrete, with small blind windows on the first floors, while the belfry, with a sloping roof, has large rectangular windows through which it is possible to see the bells.

The Church at the foot of the bell tower, considerably lower, consists of a single floor on which they are located three wooden portals , separated by concrete pillars which, like rays, run along the entire perimeter of the building, from the floor to the sky: above the Church, the extensions of the pillars seem to support an immense baptismal font which covers the entire structure and in the center of which stands the crucifix.

The interior of the parish appears simple, painted white and very bright with sacred paintings on the walls.

What you can do at the Church of Santa Caterina in Salaparuta and in the surrounding area

The Parish of Santa Caterina Virgin and Martyr in Salaparuta is the most important religious building of the town and all the faithful of the community gather here to celebrate Mass: naturally, visitors who arrive in the village and wish to follow the functions can join the local faithful both on normal days and to celebrate the Feasts.

In Salaparuta you can stay in a hotel, and then visit the old part of the town, that is the ruins of Salaparuta and then set off to discover the surroundings: those who want to know the history of these areas can visit the ghost town of Poggioreale, where despite the population having been driven away by the 1968 earthquake, numerous palaces and buildings are still almost intact, which silently tell their story.

About 14 km from the village, there is the lake garcia, an artificial lake 194 meters above sea level. Created in the late eighties by blocking the course of the Belice for agricultural needs, the lake has now become an integral part of the local landscape and has become Nature Reserve, with its fish population including perch, eel and catfish.

Anyone wishing to visit a larger village, but not too far away, can reach Corleone, about 42 km away: inhabited since prehistoric times, it is today a Baroque center, with the Mother Church of San Martino built in the fourteenth century and various civil architectures, such as the XVII century Palazzo Pretorio and the former Palazzo Cammarata, today seat of the Town Hall, but there are numerous religious and civil buildings that can be found in the town.

From Salaparuta you can also reach Palermo, with a short trip of about an hour, to discover countless other artistic beauties.

How is it possible to reach Salaparuta

Salaparuta, in the Free Municipal Consortium of Trapani, can be easily reached both by train and by car.

For those traveling in auto, it is convenient to take the A29 Palermo-Mazara del Vallo, take the Gallitello exit and continue for 12 km to Salaparuta, while those who prefer to travel the train can get off at Castelvetrano Station and continue by bus or shuttle to the centre.