The Parish of San Sebastiano in Ferla

The history of the Parish of San Sebastiano in Ferla

Among the sacred buildings of Ferla, a medieval village in the Free Municipal Consortium of Syracuse, that of San Sebastiano is the largest church, as well as the most spectacular.
The Parish of San Sebastiano in Ferla is dedicated to the Patron Saint of the town and has a troubled history, which has its roots in the fifteenth century, when the first stones for the construction of this building were laid. In 1481, in fact, the Bishop of Syracuse made possible the construction of the Church of San Sebastiano a Ferla.

This church, however, was completely destroyed by the earthquake in 1693, which also devastated many other buildings in Sicily. Only thanks to the will of the Confraternity of San Sebastiano, it was possible rebuild the Church, bigger and more majestic than before. The architect and sculptor was called to carry out this work Michelangelo di Giacomo and so it was that around the middle of the eighteenth century the Church of San Sebastiano in Ferla was rebuilt again.

Over two centuries later the Church of San Sebastiano was damaged by the new renovation works carried out in the twentieth century, which caused the loss of many beauties inside the building. Damaged again by the earthquake in 1990, the Church underwent further consolidation work, delaying the start of the definitive renovation until 2005.
Finally, 10 years later, the Church of San Sebastiano was reopened to the public, as we can still see it today.

The architecture of the Parish of San Sebastiano in Ferla and the works it houses

The sacred building dedicated to the patron saint of Ferla is in Baroque style. The large facade with attached bell tower is divided into three orders.
The entire upper part is decorated with pilasters and Corinthian capitals, motifs that are also found in the lower orders. The bell tower, tripartite, has three bells and the number three also returns in the lower orders of the facade, which correspond to the three naves inside the Church.
In the first order there are three portals which give access to the naves. The main door is surmounted by a very refined arabesque decoration, inside which is depicted in the form sculpture the martyrdom of San Sebastiano: an engaging scene for the richness of details and decorations, which catalyzes all the attention of the observer at the center of the facade.

Entering the church, you can see the three naves separated by pillars covered with bricks: here the main decorations are made up of stuccos from the Serpotta school, frescoes and bas-reliefs.

The aisles contain many sacred statues and paintings, such as Jesus Christ rising from the tomb.

What you can do in the Parish of San Sebastiano in Ferla

Those who arrive at the Church of San Sebastiano in Ferla can stop for a few minutes to contemplate the spectacular façade before entering the interior to attend mass or to admire its artistic beauties.

Inside, in fact, it is possible to follow the religious functions during mass time and admire works such as the wooden statue of San Sebastiano and the fercolo.

Leaving the Church, you can visit Ferla, ancient medieval village, whose origins date back to 1200. In fact, there are numerous churches in the village, located above all along the Via Sacra, Via Vittorio Emanuele.

Those staying in Ferla, however, will also have the opportunity to explore the surroundings of the town, which, like the village, are rich in history and attractions. After passing the fields that surround Ferla, in fact, just 11 km away you reach the Necropolis of Pantalica, an archaeological site that also includes the village of San Micidario, where you can admire the rock remains of churches with Byzantine decorations, as well as the ruins of the del Principe, an ancient building built with megalithic stones.

In the surroundings of Ferla, it is also found Buccheri, another medieval village in the province of Syracuse, connected to Ferla because it was the birthplace of the architect Michelangelo di Giacomo, who lent his work to the Church of San Sebastiano in Ferla. In Buccheri you can visit the rCastle sheep and some churches just outside the town, while in the center there is the marvelous Church of Santa Maria Maddalena.
Those who love nature can start from Buccheri to discover Monte Lauro, whose peaks are over 900 meters above sea level

Continuing this journey to discover the Sicilian villages in the province of Syracuse, we arrive as far as the city: in Syracuse you can admire the dome, Temple of Apollo, Catacombs of San Giovanni and the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia, to name just a few of the artistic beauties of this city.

How is it possible to get to the Church of San Sebastiano in Ferla

Getting to Ferla to visit the Parish of San Sebastiano is easy, by car or by train.
40 km from Syracuse, the city is connected to the village with buses and shuttles that leave from the Central Station, while those traveling by car can take the State Road 124 in the direction of Palazzolo and turn at the Montegrosso crossroads, in the direction of Ferla.

© Georg Naggies, CC BY 3.0 - David Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons