Church of Sant'Antonio in Militello in Val di Catania
The Church of Sant'Antonio di Padova in Militello in Val di Catania, also known as the Church of Sant'Antonino, is an ancient place of worship in the village.
It was built in 1503 at the behest of the brotherhood of the same name, in the place where, according to local tradition, Sant'Antonio di Padova stopped during his journey on foot from Lentini to Vizzini in 1223. In this place, at an uncertain time, a chapel was built next to the rock where it was said that the Saint had rested, which was later replaced by the current building. The Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre was added to the first building in 1574, today the presbytery area. This chapel has a square plan and opens towards the church hall with a large arch from 1560, it is framed by pillars placed on pedestals decorated with elegant floral bas-reliefs. Of particular value is the small dome with a blind hexagonal lantern that overlooks the chapel: the transition from the square base to the octagonal impost of the sail roof is obtained with a corner solution with stepped pendentives with moulded projections of great interest.
Among the works once kept in the valuable church was the statue of the Virgin of Monserrato, a work by Matteo Frazzetto in 1583, then remade in the eighteenth century and today kept in the museo San Nicolò.
