Chiesa Santa Maria della Catena - Palermo

The church was built between 1490 and 1520 in the Catalan-Gothic architectural style.

The chain in the name of the church refers to the chain that used to close off the harbor near the church at night.

A loggia with three arcades leads to the entrance of the church. The interior consists of three naves and high columns that were renovated in the eighteenth century in Baroque style. These Baroque decorations have now been removed to reveal the original appearance of the church.

A medieval work of art is kept in the oldest and most important chapel of the church of Santa Maria della Catena (Saint Mary of the Chains). This fresco depicts the Virgin Mary nursing her Child (actually suckling Jesus from a bare breast!) . According to legend, a miracle happened in front of this fresco in August 1392.
The legend tells the story of three prisoners sentenced to death in Piazza Marina. But that day the weather was bad. It started to hail and the prisoners were led inside, in front of the fresco, waiting for the sun. They began to pray and something miraculous happened because their chains were broken . They ran to tell the miracle to people all over the city. King Martino had no desire to kill those who had been pardoned by the Virgin Mary so that the three prisoners could live.

The artist of the 14th century fresco is unknown. It goes back to Greek-Byzantine tradition and the Child is depicted as an adult with wrinkles and baldness.

If you look at the sides of the fresco you will see testimonies of a painting from the post-Tridentine period (XVI-XVII centuries). This new and subsequent painting was used to cover the medieval fresco depicting the naked breast of the Virgin.

Willem Vandenameele