Church of Consolazione in Scicli
The Church of the Consolation of Scicli is the first church you come across while walking through the deep quarry of Santa Maria la Nova; it lies on a large basement paved with ancient flagstones, raised above the street level.
Over the course of its history, the church has undergone various building phases: in the 15th century the presence of a temple dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle is attested , in the second half of the seventeenth century it was rebuilt, and it was rebuilt once again following the earthquake of 1693, which seriously damaged it.
The facade is divided into two orders surmounted by a triangular tympanum. The first order is divided into three parts by Tuscan pilasters. In the center there is a sober door surmounted by a scroll; laterally the door-niche-window scheme is repeated in a symmetrical way. The second order includes four composite pilasters that frame the balcony window from which the light that illuminates the entire central nave penetrates. On the façade we can still read the title of Patrona Civitatis granted by King Philip IV of Spain in 1645. On the right side of the church there is a access portal to be attributed to a Christian temple that existed here before earthquake of 1693; it is in Gothic style with bas-reliefs that recall scenes from the life and martyrdom of St. Thomas the Apostle. Of particular value is the isolated bell tower which ends with a spire enriched with iridescent majolica.
The interior of the basilica has three naves separated by heavy and low pillars. Of particular interest is the internal floor of the church, with geometric and floral motifs, entirely made of white limestone and black pitch stone, typical of the Iblei.
Among the works kept in the church of particular value are: the canvas placed at the bottom on the main altar, by an unknown artist, depicting Christ with the souls in Purgatory, dating back to the second half of the 17th century; two valuable wooden statues that recall the Flagellation of Christ and Christ with his hands tied.
Following the latest restoration work the bodies of six people have been found, buried about two hundred years ago, mummified in a natural way. Following the discovery, a long debate began on what to do with the mummies, in the end it was decided to rebur the bodies again in the crypt of the church and to close everything.
