Chiesa
San Francesco di
Serradifalco
Prima Chiesa Matrice
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| "Comu si fa a
scriviri chiddu ca si prova taliannu l'antica Chiesa Matri senza
sbagliari na parola? Circu e scavu dintra di mia sulu pi truvari puisia. Ma tuttu chiddu ca mi passa pi la menti è un ricordu anticu: un sunu di campana, la nisciuta di la Madonna, la festa di Pasqua cu lu suli intra l'ucchi, un ritrattu di ziti, la carrozza niura... e lu vintu ca sciuscia' nta la cantunera..."
~ Sergio Milazzo |
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The first Chiesa Matrice ('Mother', or Main Church) erected in Serradifalco was on the Cozzo (hill) in 1653 by Baron Leonardo Lo Faso, at the founding of the town. It was dedicated to and named for the town's patron Saint, San Leonardo Abate (St. Leonard the Abbott). Because of the deterioration of the building, the Matrice dell' Cozzo (Main Church on the Hill) was rebuilt in 1700 by Duke Don Francesco Antonio Lo Faso, with some modifications to its alignment, while conserving the sixteenth century style of the plan. In homage to the founder Don Francesco, altars within the church represented San Francesco di Paola (St. Francis of Paola), and the church itself was popularly called the Chiesa San Francesco (St. Francis' Church). |
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When the population of the town reached two
thousand, the ancient Chiesa Matrice was inadequate.
In 1740, Duke Don Leonardo Lo Faso Lo Grua, son of the deceased Don Francesco, commenced the erection of a new Main Church, completed in 1755. This new church then re-used the name Chiesa Matrice San Leonardo. The old church was officially renamed as the church of Maria Santissima del Rosario (Most Holy Mary of the Rosary). It retains that name to this day, but to residents it is still known as the Chiesa San Francesco, which sits across the old town piazza from the 'new' Chiesa Matrice. |
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The Chiesa San Francesco still stands. This is the interior. The plot on the right shows the proximity of the residences of the Coniglio and Alessi families to several of the churches of Serradifalco. |
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The bell of the campanile (bell tower) of
the church rang the hour, and mothers would tell their children, when
they went out to play: "Senza jiri tantu luntanu ca nun po sentiri
la campana di San Francescu." ("Don't go so far that you can't
hear the bell of San Francesco.") The photo below shows the original 1700 San Francesco campanile bell tower on the left, with the Spanish-influenced three-bell facade, built much later, to the right. |
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Heartfelt THANKS to the Supporters of the Campanile Project |
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