San Benedetto, Catania

San Benedetto is a church in Catania, Sicily, southern Italy. Dedicated to St. Benedict of Nursia, it was built from April 1334, then it was destroyed by 1693 Sicily earthquake; only 5 nuns survived the disaster. The church and the monastery were rebuilt between 1708 and 1763 and Giovanni Battista Vaccarini was one of the main architects.

San Benedetto.

The church is part of a complex including also the Badia Maggiore and the Badia Minore, connected by a covered bridge over the road.

The church was also damaged by bombing in World War II and later restored by the architect Armand Dillon.

West end, with the nun's choir

Its most famous feature is the Angel's Staircase (Italian: Scalinata dell'Angelo), a marble entrance stair decorated with statues of angels and surrounded by a wrought iron railings. The entrance door, in wood, has panels with Stories of St. Benedict.

The interior, with a single nave, is home to frescoes by Sebastiano Lo Monaco, Giovanni Tuccari and Matteo Desiderato. The vault and semi-dome were painted Giovanni Tuccari with the History of Saint Benedict and six Allegories surrounding the Triumph of Saint Benedict. The Saint is represented in his traditional iconography, in a festive and cheerful scenario. The high altar is in polychrome marble with hardstone intarsia and bronze panels.[1]

The church is open on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (last entrance).

Sources
  • Rasà Napoli, Giuseppe (1984). Guida alle Chiese di Catania. Catania: Tringale Editore.

References
  1. Dillon, Armando (1950). La chiesa di san Benedetto a Catania e gli affreschi di Giovanni Tuccari. Catania: a cura del Monastero di San Benedetto.
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