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Sanctuary of the Three Holy Martyr Brothers
The Sanctuary of the Three Holy Martyr Brothers is an architectural jewel that rises at the top of the evocative Monte Vecchio or Monte San Fratello.
The current structure of the Sanctuary has its roots in the Norman era, dating back to the period between the late 11th and early 12th centuries. However, its origin is even older, as it stands on the remains of a previous ecclesiastical structure dedicated to Sancta Maria Palatiorum, of which the Byzantine layout, still visible in the apse area, is likely a testimony. It is also plausible to hypothesize that this monument was built on a former Greek temple.
The sanctuary is dedicated to Saints Alfio, Filadelfio, and Cirino due to the discovery of their relics, which an uninterrupted tradition states were found in the area of the current sacred building. For this reason, around the second half of the 12th century, the Holy Martyrs were also recognized as the Patrons of the new community of San Fratello, which took its name from them.
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The church features a majestic and imposing single-nave architecture. The nave is divided into three separate spaces by a wall structure that supports the arches and the dome.
The oldest part is probably the area beneath the octagonal drum that supports the dome, and the bell tower. Over the centuries, the area where the main altar was located has been expanded, enriched, and decorated; evidence of this is found in the stucco work that embellishes the walls and the vault, as well as the red marble columns that adorn the main portal.
Particularly significant is the small crypt, known as the Catoio of Santa Tecla. This underground chamber was probably where the Martyrs’ relics were hidden during the Islamic raids that plagued the area and where they were rediscovered at the time of the arrival of the Lombard colonies on the island. Both in the crypt and in the nave above, the walls are covered with stucco reliefs, dedicatory inscriptions, and small, precious canvas paintings depicting the martyrdom of the Holy Brothers.
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The Sanctuary of the Three Saints is considered one of the earliest settlements of the Greek-speaking Sicilian monks, who from the 16th century onwards became known as Basilian monks. The building’s orientation, with the apse facing East, aligns the celebrative area with the cardinal point where the sun rises, a clear reference—very dear to the Fathers—to Christ, the rising sun from the East.
The church and the adjoining monastery were built using reused materials, such as bricks and massive stone blocks, from the buildings of the surrounding Greco-Roman city, identified as Aluntium or, as is now believed, Apollonia. These materials are still visible, especially at the corners of the structure, where stones originally anchored to the facades of the temples, bearing dedicatory inscriptions, have been placed.
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Beyond its religious and cultural significance, the Sanctuary of the Three Saints holds an essential role in the memory of the San Fratello community. It is a sanctuary around which the city’s identity has crystallized over the centuries, deeply connected to the name, history, and mystical significance of the triumph of the Martyr Brothers. Faith, culture, art, and tradition are condensed around this majestic hermitage, which overlooks the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily and, suspended between earth and sky, sings the beauty of a corner of the Nebrodi Mountains—boasting over twenty-five centuries of history and faith.
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