Santa Maria la Cava e Sant'Alfio explained

Building Name:Santa Maria la Cava e Sant'Alfio
Location:Lentini, Italy
Religious Affiliation:Catholic Church
Website:Official website
Architect:Vincenzo Vella da Malta
Architecture Type:Church
Architecture Style:Baroque
Groundbreaking:1693
Year Completed:1747

The Chiesa madre of Santa Maria la Cava e Sant'Alfio ('Mother Church of St. Mary of the Pit and St. Alphius') is the main Roman Catholic church in Lentini, province of Syracuse, Sicily Italy.

History and description

The present church was built after the 1693 Sicily earthquake by merging the former cathedral of Santa Maria la Cava with the chapter of the collegiate church dedicated to the Saints Alphius, Philadelphus and Cyrinus.[1] Construction began in 1700 and continued until 1750.

Built in baroque-style, the interior has three naves.[2] In the left nave, the reliquary float of St. Alphius, made of silver, is stored. The float is carried in a procession through the main streets of Lentini during the celebrations for Saints Alphius (9–11 May), the patron saint of the town.[3] The right nave hosts the sepulchres of the martyrs Alphius, Philadelphus and Cyrinus.[4]

Notably, the church hosts a Byzantine icon of the Virgin Hodegetria dated from the 12th century.

References

  1. Web site: Le chiese più belle . Valenti . Francesco . LentiniOnLine.it . it . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20061009232459/http://www.lentinionline.it/programmi&recensioni/fondpisano_lechiese.htm . 9 October 2006 . 14 October 2019.
  2. Web site: Basiliche e chiese a Siracusa . Meta Sicilia . it . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160721172553/http://www.metasicilia.it/basiliche_chiese/siracusa.asp . 21 July 2016 . 14 October 2019.
  3. Web site: Lentini: la festa di S.Alfio . LentiniOnLine.it . it . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120719044548/http://www.lentinionline.it/itin_chiese.htm. 19 July 2012 . 15 October 2019.
  4. Web site: Lentini celebra la compatrona della città, la Madonna del Castello . Breci . Silvio . 3 August 2019 . WebMarte.tv . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191015142222/https://www.webmarte.tv/2019/08/03/lentini-celebra-la-compatrona-della-citta-la-madonna-del-castello/ . 15 October 2019 . 15 August 2019. it.

External links

37.2854°N 14.9984°W