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«The Church of saint Anthony of Padova rises not far from the railway station.
Must have been erected during the first half of the 17th century, as there is no mention of it in the sacred visit of Torres in 1574 nor in the reveals of 1584, 1593, 1607, and not even in the registers of the Main Church.
The dreadful eruption of the 1651-1654, that caused so many damages to our town, burying churches, houses and fields, run over the little church on three sides: north, east and south; the lava reached the roof, adhering tightly to the easterly and southerly walls, filling even holes in the building, and, as for reverence or fear, when the impetuosity diminished, stopped in front of the door that was lightly scorched. In memory of the terrible happening, a wealthy citizen of Bronte, Francesco Spedalieri, paid for the building of a plaque on the external wall of the church with this inscription:

D. 0. M.
Novi hanc Hyspaiarum
Serafi. Italiae Sideri,
Brontisqe e voracis
Etnae flammis liberatori
molem Francisc. Spi.ri
pp iis sumptibus costr.
curavit. 1654

The small church had five altars: on the right there were the altars of St Giovanni of God, and of St. Domenica; to the left, St Luigi and St Gaetano Tiene. The St Gaetano picture was painted by Giuseppe Dio in 1821, the St Domenica one was painted by Agostino Attinà in 1874. Charming and full of faith appears the face of the shepherd genuflected in front of the Saint to whom recommends his flock.
The St Giovanni di Dio, maybe, was painted by the same Dinaro.
The St Luigi is somewhat similar to the St Luigi by Paolo Veronesi.
In the sacristy there is a lovely painting of St Antonino, in which are depicted various episodes of the Saint life.
In the main altar’s throne there was a small image of the Virgin Mary that now is preserved in the sacristy: it belongs to a Byzantine school and it is the best looking face of Our Lady in Bronte.
The representative chaplain displays it on the main altar during important festivities.”
(Benedetto Radice, Historical memories of Bronte, Bronte 1926)

“Tradition reports that a previous Church, dedicated to St Anthony of Padua, existed on a site higher than the one invested but not buried by the 1654 lava.

It is believed that this one was completely buried by lava and that having its own bell tower even this was run over by the volcanic flow in such a way that it became encrusted with lava stone and as the liquid lava kept flowing, the bell tower remained elevated over the petrified rest; and the old folks, from father to sons, have said to posterity that there was the first St Anthony church and that was its bell tower.»
(Gesualdo De Luca, History of Bronte. Milan 1883)


Translated by Sam Di Bella