Monastero di Santa Lucia (Monastery of Saint Lucy) is an architectural complex in the town of Adrano, in the

Province of Catania The Province of Catania ( it, Provincia di Catania; scn, Pruvincia di Catania) was a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in southern Italy. Its capital was the city of Catania. It had an area of and a total population of about 1, ...

, region of Sicily, Italy. The former Benedictine monastery currently serves as an elementary school, and attached to it is the Giovanni Verga high school. In front of the facade is a polygenal public park known as either Giardino della Vittoria or Villa Comunale. The monastery of Santa Lucia was founded in 1157 by Adelasia, the granddaughter of the Norman Count Ruggero. Her endowment allowed poor young girls to enter the monastery without requiring a dowry for sustenance. The monastery owned surrounding farmlands. At the time, this was located outside the medieval city walls, near the church of the Madonna della Consolazione. The monastery was expanded in 1596, but much was rebuilt, including the central baroque church in the late 18th century. The façade has three orders. Two bell towers rise on the sides with quadrangular domes.The design of the church is attributed to Stefano Ittar. Inside, the interior was composed of a single elliptical nave with a dome. A painting depicting ''Saint Lucy'' (1843) is attributed to

Giuseppe Rapisardi Giuseppe is the Italian form of the given name Joseph, from Latin Iōsēphus from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), from Hebrew יוסף. It is the most common name in Italy and is unique (97%) to it. The feminine form of the name is Giuse ...

. The apse paintings, the decorations of the vault, and the paintings on the first altar on the left and on the second altar on the right are attributed to the school of

Olivio Sozzi Olivio may refer to: * Olivio (restaurant), Dutch Michelin starred restaurant People * Olívio Dutra Olívio de Oliveira Dutra (born 10 June 1941 in Bossoroca, Rio Grande do Sul) is a Brazilian politician. He is a founding member of the Wor ...

. The paintings in the dome, framed by elegant stuccoes, depict the ''Assumption of the Virgin'' and are attributed to

Vito D'Anna Vito D'Anna (14 October 1718 – 13 October 1769) was an Italian painter, considered the most prominent painter of Palermitan rococo and one of the most important artists of Sicily. Biography He was the father of Alessandro D'Anna, the brother- ...

. In the spandrels, are depicted the four doctors of the church. The apse depict the four evangelists and the ''Transfiguration of Christ''.Comune of Adrano
entry on monastery.

References

Bibliography

* * * * Scalisi, Lina, ''Obbedientissime ad ogni ordine. Tra disciplina e trasgressione: il monastero di Santa Lucia in Adrano secoli XVI-XVIII'', Editore Sanfilippo. Catania 1998. {{DEFAULTSORT:Lucia Adrano Benedictine monasteries in Italy Buildings and structures in the Province of Catania