Chiesa Rupestre di San Nicolò Inferiore

Useful Information

Location:	Via Clemente Grimaldi, 89, 97015 Modica RG. In the city center of Modica. Accessible only by foot/taxi. (36.860175, 14.760963)
Open:	APR to OCT Tue-Sun 10-13, 15-18. NOV to MAR Tue-Sun 10-13:30. [2024]
Fee:	Adults EUR 2.50, Reduced EUR 1.50. [2024]
Classification:	Cave Church
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:	Ar=45 m²,
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Chiesa Rupestre di San Nicolò Inferiore, VIA Association, Via Clemente Grimaldi, 691, 97015 Modica RG, Tel: +39-338-983-5959. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1577	united with the parish of St Peter due to a shortage of income.
1693	earthquake damages the cave church.
1987	accidentally discovered by a boy who wanted to retrieve his soccer ball.
1987	first inspection by the renowned scholar Duccio Belgiorno.
1990	acquired by the Centro Studi sulla Contea di Modica.

Description

Chiesa Rupestre di San Nicolò Inferiore (Cave Church of Saint Nicolò 'Inferiore') is a cave church with Byzantine wall paintings. It was long forgotten, until 1987, when a boy was looking for his astray soccer ball. He went behind a garage and came across the face of Christ Pantocrator painted on the apse basin. The church is located in the quarter Modica Bassa, the low city, which has numerous abandoned caves, generally they are inaccessible or used as private cellars. The lower part of the town, close to the bed of a stream, was at that time outside the city walls. The presence of an iconostasis confirms that this is an Eastern cult church. At that time byzantine Christ fled from the Ottoman empire to Italy. There was obviously a small group of them living in Modica. The kept their culture over generations, including their church rituals.

The cave has a diameter of 9 m, the floor has an area of 45 m². It is a single-nave church with a wide semicircular apsis. It is separated by an arch and two steps between two levels of floor. The altar is gone, it was probably located in the center of the apse. The church contains various tombs from the 16th century on the floor.

In the apse three different pictorial cycles can be seen. The oldest is from the 12th century and barely visible. It shows Christ Pantocrator, enclosed in the "mandorla", an almond-shaped frame, supported by angelic figures, two holy knights, and two bishops. From the 14th century is a cycle which is better preserved. It shows St. Peter, St. Vito, a holy monk, Virgin Mary of Odigitria and Baby Jesus, Christ Pantocrator enclosed in the mandorla, San Michele, and finally St. Eligius, the Bishop of Paris. The third is a pictorial panel of San Giacomo in Trancis from the 16th century. And there is a baptismal font, which probably had a small spring, from which the water flowed or at least dripped into a basin. However, the ground in the city is now sealed completely, and if there was a spring it dried up long ago.

There was an earthquake in 1693 which damaged the cave church. On the ruins the church of San Nicolella was erected. But in the 20th century it was abandoned and sold, it became private property. After the rediscovery of the cave church, the site was bought by the association Centro Studi sulla Contea di Modica. It is now a private museum, operated by VIA - Associazione di Promozione Turistica.