Church Madonna Del Soccorso - Alcamo

It is one of the oldest churches in Alcamo , founded in 1470, probably by a group of merchants. This church was part of a monastery complex that was restored in 1654 by the Philippine fathers.

It was originally in Gothic style and had three naves, but its shape became elliptical during the reconstruction that took place in 1736, when it was demolished, rebuilt and decorated with various stuccoes.

The cult of this Madonna del Soccorso originated in Palermo in 1306, after its apparition to the Augustinian father Nicola La Bruna. It is said that the monk, in the grip of an incurable disease at the end of his life, was cured thanks to the Madonna, who in return asked him to spread the news of the miracle and to have her addressed by the name of Santa Maria del Soccorso. Thanks to the Augustinian monks, the cult of the Madonna del Soccorso spread throughout Italy.
Another story about the cult of the Madonna del Soccorso developed on July 13, 1718 in nearby Castellammare del Golfo. During a battle for the castle, the Virgin appeared on the mountain and freed the city on the gulf from danger. The vision frightened the enemy ships as they left the battlefield.

Willem Vandenameele