Church displays whalebone to commemorate brave deed by saint
The
Basilica di Sant’Antonino in Sorrento, considered the town's most important church after
the Duomo, is named after one of the city’s patron saints.
The Basilica di Sant'Antonino dates
back to at least the 11th century
The
present building in Piazza Sant'Antonino dates back to at least the 11th century, although it is
thought to have been built on top of a seventh century oratory housing the
saint’s tomb.
The grey
tuff façade and bell tower were added during the Renaissance period and the
interior was refurbished in baroque style in the 18th century.
Some of
the marble columns in the church are believed to have come from villas built in
the area by the Romans, which were eventually abandoned.
The
church has a beautiful example of a presepe (crib) with 17th century figures
made by the best Neapolitan sculptors of the time.
The
crypt, which was rebuilt in the 1700s, has many paintings and gifts offered by
sailors to fulfil vows they made after they believed their lives had been
saved, thanks to the intervention of Sant’Antonino, when they were in peril on
the sea.
The
pulpit of tarsia (inlaid wood) was made by local craftsmen in the 1930s.
The
church was badly damaged in the 16th century by Turkish pirates who succeeded
in landing and then invading Sorrento, but it was later restored and
refurbished and was made a basilica in 1924.
The basilica has a whale rib on display in the
lobby to commemorate Sant'Antonino's bravery
Antonino
Abate, who became Sorrento’s principal saint, died on 14 February, 626 AD. He
is credited with saving the life of a child who had been swallowed by a whale
by rescuing it from the whale’s stomach. A whale rib is on display in the
lobby of the church to commemorate the brave deed by Sant’Antonino. The saint
is also revered by local people for protecting Sorrento against plague and
invasion as well as intervening after shipwrecks to save lives.
Each year
on the anniversary of his death, a silver statue of Sant’Antonino is carried in
a procession through the streets of Sorrento and there are festive lights,
fireworks, and musical events in his name.
(Whale rib picture by Mentnafunangann via Wikimedia Commons)
