The portal of the church of St. Anthony of Padua, in Capizzi (ME) bears a date engraved on the stone, 1629. After 400 years, the signs of time are deep, in some places such that the entire elevation is at risk. It is thus decided to replace the column and the pier on the right side. After the extraordinary restoration successes of Palazzo Ugo delle Favare and the Regional Library CusenzaMarmi is once again chosen for this delicate and important intervention.
Under the high supervision of the Office of Cultural Heritage of the Diocese of Patti and the Superintendence of Cultural and Environmental Heritage of Messina, with the guidance ofArch. Luciano Marino, who directed the work, along with Francesco Bertolino's Kéramos restoration laboratory, which oversaw the restoration of the portal and the type of intervention to be carried out, CusenzaMarmi made, ex novo, the piedritto and the right column to replace the original pieces that were now extremely compromised and posed a real risk of collapse.
The first step was the three-dimensional survey of all the elements of the existing facade, with greater focus on the two elements mirroring those now compromised. The possibility of "reading" the decorations and fashions of the left elements allowed the new stone elements to be designed in such a way as to integrate perfectly with the original ones, in full compliance with the philological restoration work.
Identifying the best stone, which had the closest characteristics to the existing one, in color and grain size, was crucial. This required almost 2 months of research throughout Italy: this could not be overlooked; the risk would have been to have a jumble of colors that would have disturbed the vision of the work as a whole.
Capizzi is a charming mountain village, 1100 m asl, located in the province of Messina, within the Nebrodi Park. This town is known for its rich agricultural tradition, which reflects an economy still deeply tied to the territory, but above all for its rich cultural and religious tradition.
Church of St. Anthony of Padua and its Portal
A historical and artistic landmark in Capizzi is the Church of St. Anthony of Padua, famous for its stone portal dated 1629. This portal is a significant example of early Baroque architecture, with carved decorations that testify to the skill of local craftsmen and the religious devotion of the period. In addition to the portal, the church is a center of spirituality and tradition for the community, hosting major religious events.
It is home to the Venerable Confraternity of St. Anthony of Padua, among the most important confraternities in the mountain village. It is thanks to it and to Governor Antonino Iraci Fuintino, who championed and financed the restoration project in 2024, that the church portal was given a chance to restore decorum and safety, with the reconstruction work entrusted to CusenzaMarmi.
The Feast of St. James and the Wall of Miracles
Capizzi is also famous for the "Feast of St. James," one of the village's most anticipated celebrations that takes place every year on July 26. During this festival, a particularly important event is the pulling down of the "Wall of Miracles," a unique tradition that takes place right next to the Church of St. Anthony. This rite, rich in symbolism and faith, attracts thousands of devotees and tourists, who often find themselves climbing the columns of the portal of St. Anthony's Church, which, also for this reason, required this no-longer-derogable safety intervention, performed to perfection by CusenzaMarmi
Reconstruction in numbers
