WHERE WE ARE
MAIL & PHONE
The Association is non-profit and its social purpose is the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the artistic, cultural, and monumental heritage owned by the Parish "Santi Pietro e Paolo" in Castiglione di Sicilia.
Association Museum of Saints Peter and Paul in Castiglione di Sicilia.
+39 094 29 84 058
museosantipietroepaolo@gmail.com
+39 094 29 84 058
museosantipietroepaolo@gmail.com
Former Church of San Giuseppe and Crypt
Choose one of the locations
https://www.museosantipietroepaolocastiglionedisicilia.it @ All Right Reserved 2023 - Website created by Flazio Experience
https://www.museosantipietroepaolocastiglionedisicilia.it @ All Right Reserved 2023 - Website created by Flazio Experience
The small church of the patriarch Saint Joseph is of ancient origin. It has always been very poor, but Sac. Badolato Iuniore, in 1711 with the help of Archpriest Gioeni and other priests, managed to annex the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri to the Church. This contributed to the improvement and visibility of the Church.
The Oratory was in charge of grammar and humanistic schools, as well as theology and philosophy. The Confraternity of St. Joseph was also based in this church. Today, the Church no longer exists as a sacred building and after hosting various initiatives, it now houses the "Museum of Saints Peter and Paul" with a very rich collection of precious objects and the exhibition of ancient books from the 1500s and extraordinarily preserved liturgical books.
The Crypt, probably dating back to the 10th-11th century, is possibly a small chapel originally dedicated to St. Leonard, who is portrayed in a still visible fresco.
Probably between the 16th and 17th centuries, this small church became a crypt that was used for the preservation of the bodies of men belonging to the clergy and then to the noble class. In the crypt, we see 14 lateral niches perhaps dedicated to the display of corpses, after the ancient practice of drainage. In addition to the frescoes dedicated to San Leonardo, there is another fresco in the central part of the crypt dedicated to the "Passing of St. Joseph." We do not have certain information about what happened in this crypt; these are hypotheses dictated by the real view available to the visitor.
Located in Piazza S. Martino, in the heart of the village, the former Church of San Giuseppe houses an information and reception point for tourists, offering the opportunity to obtain QR tickets for visiting the sites. Part of the building hosts an exhibition of silverware, furnishings, sacred vestments, and ancient books, including incunabula and volumes from the 1500s from the Vallidicanense Library. Furthermore, inside there is access to the mysterious Crypt, made accessible to visitors with disabilities through an electric lift chair. Entrance with a contribution of 2 euros.
