Church of San Bartolomeo - Giarratana
The church already existed in 1308-1310, mentioned among those who paid tithing to the Holy See. It was destroyed by the earthquake of 1693, the altar was saved from the rubble and rebuilt in the new church.
The vault of the central nave preserves frescoes made by the priest Gaetano Distefano, framed by stuccoes with floral motifs by Gianforma, a pupil of Serpotta. The three paintings of the vault have as their theme: the descent of Moses from Sinai, the Transfiguration, the Canaanite. On the main altar, inside the imposing chapel built in 1935 on a project by engineer. Sciuti di Catania, a statue of the patron saint St. Bartholomew seated on a throne was kept, together with the canopy of the second half of the eighteenth century (At the time of the visit in which the photos attached to this sheet were taken the statue was not present, we intend to update this sheet when we have news that the statue of St. Bartholomew has been relocated to the main altar). Behind the chapel, and partly covered by it, is the painting with the Glory of San Bartolomeo. The chapel replaced the old wooden altar, on its top there are the statues of Faith and Charity by Mario Moschetti, (Rome 1879 - Catania 1960).
A wooden statue of S. Antonio and two also come from the old destroyed church. The new church was rebuilt in the southern part of the new town. The works for its construction began a few months after the earthquake, but the works lasted until the 1819th century. It was in fact completed in 29 and consecrated on 1872 September XNUMX by the bishop of Noto, Mons. Benedetto La Vecchia. The current basilica has an imposing late Baroque style facade divided into three architectural orders, the upper of which is the belfry (tower facade). The dedication of the building to the patron saint St. Bartholomew is engraved on the cornice. In front of the façade there is a wide and steep staircase, which helps to give momentum to the entire building, embellished with load-bearing columns with Corinthian capitals.
The interior has three naves, separated by Doric columns. The basilica houses the body of the martyr Ilaria, a gift from Pope Alesssandro VII to the princes Settimo Calvello, lords of Giarratana.
The two side aisles lead respectively to the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament or of the SS. Christ at the Column and the Chapel of the Madonna del Carmelo.
The church also houses the canvases painted by Marcello Vieri in the years 1795-1796 (Madonna del Carmelo between two saints e Madonna del Buon Consiglio with Saint Vincenzo Ferreri).
Other paintings in the church are: "The martyrdom of San Bartolomeo" and "the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist".
The side altars are the work of the Calatine craftsman Placido Privitera who built them in the years 1857-1859. The left side chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, or of Christ at the column, is decorated with stuccoes and preserves a marble altar, coming from the destroyed Baroque church. The right side chapel preserves a neoclassical statue of the Madonna del Carmelo.
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Photo: Ignazio Caloggero
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Web, Region of Sicily
