Sanctuary of the Three Saints in San Fratello
The Sanctuary of the Three Saints of San Fratello, dedicated to the Three Holy Martyr brothers Alfio, Filadelfio and Cirino, is an important place of worship and pilgrimage and represents one of the most important testimonies of the presence of Greek-rite monks in Val Demone Latin followers of St. Basil the Great, archbishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia.
The sanctuary stands on the summit of Monte Vecchio, also known as Monte San Fratello, in an isolated and dominant position, from which it is possible to enjoy a splendid panorama.
It was built during the Norman period, between the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century, on the remains of a Byzantine church dedicated to Santa Maria Palatiorum which in turn had been built with material from an ancient Greek temple. In fact, in this area stone blocks with Greek inscriptions, fragments of fluted columns and other architectural elements dating back to the Greco-Roman era have been found which support the hypothesis that the acropolis of Apollonia stood in this place.
The façade is made of large blocks of local stone, with squared stone blocks coming from a much older construction placed at the corners. The dome is supported by overlapping corner arches in exposed brick. Originally the walls did not have any decorations but these were added during alterations following construction: the cartouche with stone angel heads that surmounts the architrave of the entrance portal bears the date of 1676. The three niches located above the main door originally housed the statues of the Three Saints.
The church has a single apse oriented to the east, symbol of the Resurrection.
The sanctuary houses the Catoio di Santa Tecla, an underground room, place of veneration where the Roman noblewoman born in Lentini and died there on 10 January 264, healed from paralysis through the intercession of the Three Saints, is buried.
On the occasion of the feast of the Three Holy Martyrs, the palio degli Aleramici takes place every year, during which around 200 knights with their Sanfratellani horses accompany the fercolo of San Filadelfio up to the Sanctuary of the Three Saints.
