Church of Santa Caterina (Caldarola)

History of the Church of Santa Caterina

The project dates from November 1, 1589. On that date Pope Sixtus V approved the plan of Cardinal Pallotta and his brother Martino: to build a monastery for Augustinian nuns where the by then ruined church of San Martino stood. The complex included a cloister, a dormitory, a refectory and a church dedicated to Saint Catherine. The title of San Martino passed to a new church, under construction near the palace on the square.

The monastery opened with a solemn ceremony on September 29, 1595. The cardinal intended it to house, at his own expense, 15 nuns and 10 unmarried young women from Caldarola. The church was entrusted to the monastery, with two chaplain confessors required to be present.

What to see in the Church of Santa Caterina

On the left side of the church, at the level of the women's gallery, is the Pallotta family chapel. It was built in 1914 by Count Desiderio Pallotta. The complex's high position, in the upper part of the village, overlooks the valley and the town.

How to visit the Church of Santa Caterina

After the 2016 earthquake the badly damaged convent was abandoned by the nuns. On March 8, 2018 the cloistered nuns received three emergency housing units next to the monastery, pending the reconstruction of the monastery and the church. Before traveling to Caldarola, it is best to ask the Comune (town hall) or the tourist office whether it is accessible.

Where the Church of Santa Caterina is

The church is in Caldarola, in the upper part of the historic center, near the Castello Pallotta. The municipality ranges between 259 and 1148 m above sea level, and the town hall is at 314 m. The municipal territory is not within the Sibillini National Park in the Sibillini Mountains, but it is very close to it.

Around the Church of Santa Caterina

The historic center has other places linked to the Pallotta family: the Castello Pallotta, the palace of the Pallotta cardinals, the Collegiate Church of San Martino in Caldarola and the Santuario di Santa Maria del Monte. All were badly damaged by the 2016 earthquake. The same goes for the Church of Santi Gregorio e Valentino. In the hamlet of Valcimarra is the Church of Santi Pietro e Biagio, also badly damaged. Other places of worship in the area are described on the page about the churches of the Sibillini Mountains.