About The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Caccamo, Sicily, Italy:
Also known as the Church of San Domenico (Saint Dominic), this is a 16th-century church famous for its beautiful wooden ceiling decorated with figures of Dominican saints and a 1516 Madonna and Child sculpture by Antonello Gagini. it is considered one of Caccamo’s most significant churches, and its entrance arch features small paintings depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary by Vincenzo La Barbera.
The exposed wooden trussed ceiling is intricately decorated with portraits of Dominican saints. A notable piece is the “Madonna and Child,” a 1516 sculpture by Antonello Gagini.
On the underside of the entrance arch, a series of small paintings by Vincenzo La Barbera illustrate the Mysteries of the Rosary.
The church features a stone portal on the main entrance with a niche containing a 16th-century marble high-relief of the Virgin and Child.
The tomb of Blessed John Licci:
It also houses the tomb of Blessed John Licci (also spelled Liccio), an Italian Dominican friar born around 1400 in the small Sicilian town of Balestrate (near Palermo), who died on November 14, 1511 at the age of 111, and is known as the longest-living Blessed in the Catholic Church .
John was born into a humble farming family as the son of a poor peasant. From infancy, miraculous signs marked his life: as a baby, he reportedly healed his wet nurse from a severe fever by being placed on her chest during a moment of desperation.
After receiving the suggestion of Blessed Peter Geremia to enter religious life, John joined the Dominicans in 1415 at the age of 7. He wore the habit for 96 years which is the longest known period for any religious. He was ordained a priest and founded the convent of Saint Zita in his hometown, Caccamo.
The entire construction of the convent is a story of miracles, from the location of the site to the very last wooden beam set in place. For example, one day when the workers ran out of materials, a large ox-drawn wagon filled with what they needed arrived at the building site. When roof beams were cut too short, John would pray over them and they would stretch. There were also days when John miraculously multiplied bread and wine to feed the workers.
When John and two other Dominicans were attacked by bandits on the road, one of the bandits tried to stab John, but his hand withered and became paralyzed. The gang let the brothers go, then decided to ask for their forgiveness. John made the Sign of the Cross over them and the thief’s hand was healed.
His blessings also caused the breadbox of a neighboring widow to stay miraculously full, feeding her and her six children. He prevented disease from coming to the cattle of his parishioners, and cured three people whose heads had been crushed in accidents. Consequently, he is the patron saint of head injurie
Throughout his long life, John was renowned for his prophetic gifts, bilocation (appearing in multiple places at once), and healing powers. He preached across Sicily, founding churches and convents, including the notable Dominican convent in Caccamo, Sicily, which became a center of spiritual life.
He is revered for his extraordinary longevity, numerous miracles, and devotion to the poor.
He is considered the patron saint of head injuries and those suffering from them, because through his prayers three people who had suffered severe head injuries were cured. He is often invoked for healing and protection against such afflictions.
He was Beatified on April 25, 1753 by Pope Benedict XIV. His remains are displayed in a silver and glass case here in the church. His body is carried in procession through the town on the last Sunday of the year.
The Feast Day of Saint John Licci is November 14.
This is confusing; however, Beatification allows for public veneration of the individual as a saint at a local or regional level, specifically within the diocese, region, or religious order that petitioned for the person’s sainthood. This local allowance is sometimes misinterpreted as “sainthood in his own town.”
Traveling to The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Caccamo, Sicily, Italy:
The church is easy to find, it is in Piazza Torina.
Address: Piazza S. Domenico, 1, 90012 Caccamo PA, Italy
Click here for the official website of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Caccamo, Sicily, Italy