The Church of Saint Antonio Abate di Archi
A Byzantine tradition
The Small church of Saint Antonio Abate is located in the hills of Gullina, in the Archi district. It is among the last evidence of the Byzantine spiritual tradition found in the city. In high demand for wedding ceremonies, the church overlooks a small square that enjoys a splendid view of the Strait of Messina.
An ancient structure in a strategic place
Attested in historical documents since the 12th century, it was built by the Basilian monks in an area that, at the time, was rich in water, as it was located along the Scaccioti torrent, and housed an important animal fair that attracted all the traders of the Strait area. Its structure is a perfect synthesis between Byzantine Neo-Hellenism and the late Norman Romanesque style, combining western and eastern artistic and spiritual motifs.
DID YOU KNOW THAT …?
The church is named after Saint Antonio Abate, the Egyptian saint, founder of desert monasticism in the first centuries of Christianity.
Important restoration work
The church, abandoned and vandalised in the second post-war period, has been the subject of various and intense restoration interventions over time, at the end of which the ancient cult building has finally returned to use after years of neglect. It houses a suggestive crypt inside, which can be visited where the monks were buried.
