Itala - Santi Pietro e Paolo

Itala, is a small town hidden in the mountains just 23 km southwest of Messina. After much searching and driving through narrow, labyrinthine paths, we finally found the Arab-Norman Church of Saints Peter and Paul.

After much searching and driving through narrow, labyrinthine paths, we finally found the Arab-Norman Church of Saints Peter and Paul.

The church was built in 1093 by order of Roger I after a victory over the Arabs and assigned to the Basilian order. After two centuries of Arab rule, the traditional layout of the basilica reappears here. Basilian monks are Roman Catholic monks who follow the rule of Basil the Great like all monks in the Eastern Orthodox Church. So this was a Greek monastery church.
The church was restored in 1930 and the dome was reconstructed - but it was unfortunately locked. The younger buildings connected to the church are completely in ruins.


I have already uploaded a lot of photos previously taken in Sicily. Now I will add only a few. If you want to see more, follow this link:

www.ipernity.com/doc/323415/album/1238300