CHURCH “MARIA SANTISSIMA DEL SOCCORSO”

The church "Maria Santissima del Soccorso", called "Badia Nuova", is considered by the people of Trapani the most beautiful baroque church after the Church of “ Collegio”. Situated in Via Garibaldi, one of the focal points of the city, the exterior of the façade is very modest, while the interior has magnificent and rich marble decorations. The church was built in 1461. Before, in the same place there was an ancient church of Greek rite, dedicated to St. Sofia, built in 536 by Belisarius, the famous general of the Emperor Justinian, who, returning from Africa, where he had defeated the Vandals, landed in Sicily . With the construction of this church and by the Byzantine monks, Belisarius gave spiritual assistance to the Greek citizens who lived in Trapani and to those who there for business. In 1129, next to the church of St Sofia was built a tower. It was considered one of the five that are on the coat of arms of the Trapani town. The Knight Giacomo Pepe, the rich and generous inhabitant of Trapani, in the soil of the ancient church of St. Sofia, at its expense, built the present church and a convent that was inhabited later, by the nuns of the Convent of S. Caterina in Palermo, who were famous for the sanctity of life and for a perfect observance of monastic practice. The Church "Maria Santissima del Soccorso" was consecrated in 1640 by Cardinal Giovanni Domenico Spinola, Bishop of Mazara, who, two years earlier, had consecrated the church of the “Collegio dei Gesuiti”. In 1866 an Italian law stipulated that all the property of the Catholic Church, had to be moved to the State: therefore the convent became a property of the Italian government. Today, in the premises of the convent, there are the offices of “Agenzia delle Entrate” (Revenue). The façade is very simple: the portal has a very simple line and on top of it there is a curved broken pediment. Above, in the niche there is the marble statue of “Madonna del Soccorso”, made by Giuseppe Milanti, an artist of Trapani . The interior of the church has a nave (m 28x8, 50). Two singer's gallery , the choir, the altar and the mosaic floor are decorated with very lively polychrome marbles. The church has five artistic altars. The first, to the right as you enter, is dedicated to the Dominican St Caterina of Siena . The picture, placed above the altar, represents the ecstasy of St. Caterina, made by Andrea Carreca, the best painter of the seventeenth century in Trapani . The Saint is depicted in mystical ecstaly supported by two angels. Nearby there is the gentle figure of Jesus the Redeemer. Beneath the altar is the body of St. Teodoro Martyr, dressed as a warrior with elegant clothes. Under the choir and the musical organ there is a big wooden crucifix , crowned with thorns. To the left of the high Altar there are the Chapel and the altar of “Maria SS. Della Guida “, that the nuns worshiped as the patron saint of the convent. This chapel has some esteemed marbles, “libeccio” stone columns, stones of various colors and gilt carvings of greek style. Above the altar, there is a small oil painting of the Madonna, rare and miraculous. The Madonna and the child holding the imperial crowns of silver gilt and in her hand two shining and thin gold roses. Beneath the altar is located the body of St. Colomba, virgin and martyr. The high altar, made by Federico Siracusa, sculptor of Trapani , is built with stones of agate, jasper and lapis lazuli with vivid colors and finely polished with many high and low relieves. The artist, who made the altars and the mosaic floor, in the high altar has depicted two biblical episodes, the sacrifice of Abraham and the death of Abel.The precious shrine is adorned with lapis lazuli. The big oil painting of the high Altar was made by Guglielmo Borremans, said The German. The “Madonna del Rosario” offers the crown to St. Domenico, while the child offers it to St. Caterina. The sanctuary is closed by a gate of marble and a copper door bronzed, finely worked.

The Chapel of ”Madonna S.S. del Soccorso”, commissioned by the nuns, was planned by Giovanni Biagio Amico (1684-1754), one of the most important architects in Sicily and pastor of the Cathedral (Church of St. Lawrence the Martyr). The Chapel has a curved design, the columns and pilasters terminate in Corinthian capitals and has many ornates, showing her gorgeous.
The statue of the Madonna, in white marble, carved by Giuseppe Milanti, has a Baroque style. It has in her right hand a silver mace; whith that she breaks Asmoneo's head, clung to feet, to evoid to kill the children hidden in the folds of her cloak.

Two golden statues of children who are holding two brass candlesticks, are placed on the shelves of the two side pillars of the niche. The Tabernacle is silver, all chiseled. Beneath, the altar contains the bones of St. Justina, Virgin and Mother, dressed elegantly by the nuns.
After this Chapel, continuing toward the exit, there is an urn, Art Nouveau, with the wax statue of “Maria SS del Transito” , lying down and wearing a white silk dress with embroideries.
The last Chapel is dedicated to St. Domenico, represented by a big oil painting, made by the famous painter Pietro Novelli of Monreale, decorated with marble and mosaics. Beneath, the altar are the bones of Santa Vittoria.
In the Church are the following artworks:
- The two singer's galleries with the two musical organs: one, supported by two marble columns of Sicilian jasper, was used for the daily choral singing of the sisters; the other was used for religious holidays, played by good musicians. It has sumptuous ornaments, two angels with outstretched wings and legs covered with acanthus leaves form two caryatids. The columns, the statues of saints, the angels and the arabesques interwoven form a harmony of light and colors.
- An embossed painting of St. Rita di Cascia in an oval frame.
- The wooden statue of “Madonna della Purità”.
- “Ecce Homo”, in papier maché, with thorns, reed, chain and heart, in silver, into a wooden niche.
- “Ecce Homo” in wax, seated, with diadem , no reed, with a silver crown of thorns, locked in a wooden case of mahogany and walnut with columns and windows.
- Statue of St. Antonio, in Roman cartoon.
- Two silver chandeliers, made in 1667 by the goldsmith Giuseppe Vivona with shields bearing the prelate's coat of arms slope from the pillars of the major Chapel.
- Andrea Carreca, a famous painter of Trapani, has painted the oil painting that depicts the vision of St. Tomaso of Aquino, situated on the vault of the Church, and the another oil painting of St. Benedetto, placed over the vault of the Chapel. Pietro Novelli has painted the picture of the “Santi Martiri Domenicani”, put on the cross, placed above the choir of the nuns.
- The floor, designed by sculptor Federico Siracusa, is a mosaic of polychrome marbles with various designs, perhaps unique in Italy .