Catania’s Piazza del Duomo is dominated by its cathedral dedicated to Saint Agatha, a third century Christian saint whose festival each February 3-5 is the largest religious celebration in Italy. Although Agatha is the patron saint of Catania, so many other areas in Italy claim her as their own that she is widely venerated. Agatha, who came from a rich and noble family, refused to marry the prefect Quintianua, vowing to hold onto her faith. Knowing she was a Christian, Quintianua reported her to the authorities. She was horribly tortured and put to death.
The Cathedral’s Altar
With thousands of churches in Italy (various sources number them from 20,000 to more than 65,000), there’s a lot of competition for one to stand out. Cattedrale di Sant’Agata manages to do that, not only because the cathedral has survived volcanoes, earthquakes, and wars, but also because of its patron saint and the miracles attributed to her intervention. The cathedral is massive and grand, with an ornate altar, beautiful statues, and the tomb of a cardinal. While the sacred relics of the martyr are kept in the cathedral, inside the sacellum of Sant’Agata, they are visible only on the days of the festival.
Grand Organ Jaquot
The cathedral was first built from 1078 to 1093 over the ruins of the ancient Achilles Baths. (Visitors can tour the baths for a small ticket fee.) In 1169, the cathedral was destroyed by an earthquake, and later suffered more damage from a fire. Another earthquake occurred in 1693. When the seriously damaged structure was rebuilt, it was in the Baroque style. At the rear of the cathedral is the Grand Organ made by Théodore Jaquot in 1877. Restoration work on the organ began in 2012 and was completed in 2014, bringing the instrument back to its previous musical glory.
Altar of Our Lady with the remains of the Cardinal below.
The Altar of Our Lady includes a painting of the Virgin Mother with Jesus done by a local painter, Emmauele Di Giovanni. Underneath the altar are the remains of Blessed Cardinal Giuseppe Benedetto Dusmet. People in Catania still refer to him as “the angel of charity.” According to a plaque nearby, he is linked to a miracle by Saint Agatha. The saint’s veil is “a relic that has always been considered by the people of Catania as a bulwark against the various natural calamities that have hit the city over the centuries.” In 1886, the cardinal carried the veil in a procession when an eruption by Mt. Etna was threatening the town. After days of prayer, the lava flow stopped.
Badia di Sant’Agata
After touring the cathedral, take time to visit the nearby Badia di Sant’Agata, where the beloved saint is buried.
Top photo: Cattedrale di Sant’Agata at night.
To read Charlene’s other stories from A Tour of Sicily and Naples, go to the Living Around section on Woman Around Town.
