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Church of Saint Anthony the Abbot
The church dedicated to the saint who initiated monastic life in the East is located at the foot of the historic center of San Fratello. Most likely, the building was intended as a burial place for the less fortunate and as a votive site to seek protection from skin diseases. In fact, Saint Anthony the Abbot is invoked against inflammation caused by the herpes zoster bacterium, whose effects are commonly known as Shingles or Saint Anthony’s Fire. This fiery association is perhaps linked to the memory of the torments and struggles faced by the saint against the devil in the solitude of the Egyptian Thebaid.
Over the centuries, the church has undergone various transformations and adaptations. Under the jurisdiction of the Parish of Saint Nicholas of Bari, it was used as an oratory and parish theater from the 1950s until 1980, before being restored and reopened for worship following a renovation in the early 1990s. Much of the original decoration has been lost, but three valuable 17th-century paintings remain: the first portrays the church’s patron saint, Saint Anthony the Abbot, depicted with the usual flame and surrounded by some animals. The other two paintings, located on the now-disused side altars, represent two sorrowful mysteries of the Redeemer’s Passion: the Flagellation and the Crowning with Thorns.
Today, the church preserves part of the artistic heritage of the Parish of Saint Nicholas of Bari, following the landslide of February 14, 2010. Out of necessity, it serves as a branch and substitute for the Archpriestal Church of Saint Nicholas and continues to play a central role in the religious and cultural life of the community, keeping alive the traditions and initiatives of parish life affected by the recent hydrogeological disaster.
