St. Sebastiano the cult and the feast to Palazzolo Acreide

The basilica of St. Sebastiano Martire
Palazzolo Acreide

The first church dedicated to Saint Sebastian was built at the end of the 16th century on the remains of the 15th century church of Saint Rocco. As the population of the district was constantly growing, it became necessary to plan a larger church, which began to be built in 1609. The new church included an altar to honor Saint Rocco. The church was completed in 1655, but was destroyed in the 1693 earthquake together with most of the churches in town. At the end of the same century, a three-aisled basilica was planned to replace the lost church. This is the one we can admire nowadays. Mario Diamante, from nearby Siracusa, was the architect of the monumental facade. Other illustrious names that cooperated with Diamante were Maestro Milito and Maestro Buscemi. The front of the basilica of Saint Sebastian is 35 meters high and made of limestone from the Iblea province ( the name 'Iblea' comes from Ibla, the antique baroque neighborhood in the province Ragusa in central Sicily ). The monumentality of the facade creates a suggestive background for the large square that it overlooks, the 'Piazza del Popolo' (or 'People's Square'). The facade is in line with the buildings standing on its left side that develop along 'Corso Vittorio Emanuele', (Vittorio Emanuele Street), the main street of promenades and social events in Palazzolo Acreide. The facade unfolds on three levels marked by late Renaissance architectural details. The beautiful portal at the center of the first level has two pairs of Corinthian columns with arabesque decorations on each side. Additionally, the entrance is guarded by two lions in stone sculpted by architect Diamante himself. The top of the portal is crowned by a niche with a statue representing the glorious martyr to whom the basilica is dedicated. Two smaller entrances, corresponding each to one of the lateral aisles complete the bottom level of the facade. These lateral doors too are decorated with columns of the same style of those of the main entrance.
The second level of the facade, smaller than the first one, is characterized by two pairs of columns, framing an electric clock (this replaces the original 1885 mechanic clock). Finally, this level is completed by two large 'voluta' (a voluta is a classical ornament having a spiral form and resembling a rolled parchment). The third level, again smaller than the second level, included the same column motif of the first two levels. It includes the bell tower. The very top of the third level hosts ' u' palieddu ', a weather wane in the shape of a flag. The spectacular steps in the front of the church were added in 1877. Saint Sebastian street had been completed a year earlier to connect the 'Piazza del Popolo' to 'Piazza della Liberazione' (or Liberation Square), also known as 'Piazza Pretura' (or 'Court Square').

L'interno, a pianta longitudinale (m 36 per m 19,50) è a tre navate e le due cappelle chiudono quelle laterali.
La grande navata centrale è separata dalle laterali da quattro pilastri per lato con semicolonne sorreggenti cinque arcate. La navata centrale e quella destra si concludono con absidi circolari.
Placed side by side the saloon to the church museum it is found where the fercolis of St. Sebastino are preserved.
Clicca qui