| The church was erected in 1869 and opened to the public eight years later. The church owes its construction to the tenacious willpower of some well-to-do families, as well as the local population, who contributed to the funding of the works. According to the tradition, the inscription to the father of the Holy Mary can be traced back to the miraculous intervention of the Saint, who saved the population from a cholera epidemic. The project was entrusted to the master builders Salvatore and Cosimo Cavallo, helped by the local, skilful workmen. The façade is embellished by fluted responds, and by an arched spandrel portal, decorated with phytoform motifs, and two finely carved niches. The coping is formed by a wide spandrel, surmounted by the imposing central dome, visible from a great distance, at the foot of the historic centre. The octagonal shaped interior preserves works of art of the 19th and 20th century, such as the canvasses portraying S Francesco da Paola, credited to Giuseppe di Giuseppe, and the statues of the parents of the Holy Mary, S. Anna and S. Gioacchino. The Statue of the Addolorata, once upon a time used to be brought in procession during the Holy Week. The church has been recently restored; it is also the prestigious setting of cultural festivals. |