Spiritual Taormina: Saints, Churches and Places of Faith

Taormina is famous worldwide for its Ancient Theatre, its sea and its view of Etna. Less well known, but just as beautiful, is the Taormina of faith: a Christian city for almost two thousand years, an episcopal see, a Byzantine stronghold, a crossroads of saints. The spiritual days I offer take place in the surroundings of Taormina.

Saint Pancras, the first bishop

According to tradition, the first bishop of Taormina was Saint Pancras, sent to Sicily in apostolic times and martyred. The church dedicated to him, at the entrance to the historic centre near Porta Messina, stands on the remains of a Greek temple: a place where ancient history and Christian faith meet. The city celebrates him on 9 July.

The shrine of the Madonna della Rocca

Above the city, just below the ruins of the castle on Monte Tauro, there is a small shrine partly carved into the rock: the Madonna della Rocca. According to tradition, the Virgin and Child appeared here to a young shepherd who had taken shelter in the cave during a storm. The little church was arranged in 1640. It can be reached on foot from the centre by a panoramic stairway of about half an hour: the climb itself is already a small pilgrimage, with the view opening onto the Theatre, the Ionian coast and Etna.

The Cathedral of San Nicolò

In the historic centre, Taormina's cathedral is dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Bari, the bishop of Myra loved by Catholics and Orthodox. It is a sober church, fortress-like, in the heart of the city: a simple place to stop and pray between one alley and the next.

Saint Elias the Younger and Daniel

In the 9th century, when almost all of Sicily had already fallen under Arab rule, Taormina was still a Christian city. It was here that Saint Elias the Younger, a monk born in Enna, met Daniel, who became his lifelong disciple. Taormina fell on 1 August 902.

Nearby: Basilian churches and villages

• Santi Pietro e Paolo d'Agrò, at Casalvecchio Siculo: one of the finest Basilian churches in Sicily, mentioned in a privilege of Roger II of 1116 and rebuilt in 1172.
• Castelmola, the village perched above Taormina, with a view embracing sea and volcano.
• The valleys and mountains of the hinterland, between the Peloritani and the Alcantara valley, ideal for spiritual walks in nature.

Other places in the Messina area suited to silence and prayer are described on the page Places to meditate near Taormina and Messina.

Half a day as a pilgrim in Taormina

1. Early morning: walk up to the shrine of the Madonna della Rocca, before the heat and the crowds.
2. Back down to the centre: a pause for prayer in the Cathedral of San Nicolò.
3. Porta Messina: visit the church of San Pancrazio and recall the story of the first bishop.
4. Afternoon: if you have a car, the Basilian church of Santi Pietro e Paolo d'Agrò at Casalvecchio Siculo, or Castelmola at sunset.

Getting to Taormina

• By air: the most convenient airport is Catania; from there Taormina can be reached by car or direct bus.
• By train: Taormina-Giardini station is on the Messina-Catania line; from the station to the centre take a bus or taxi.
• By car: from the Messina-Catania motorway, Taormina exit. Traffic in the centre is restricted: it is best to leave the car in the public car parks.

Experiencing Taormina differently

Many people visit Taormina in a rush, between shops and photographs. During the Christian spiritual days we try to discover it calmly, through prayer, walking and the stories of the saints. Destinations are agreed together each time.

Opening hours and access to places of worship and parks may change: it is best to check the official websites before going. Enter churches in silence and suitably dressed, without disturbing services.

How to take part

The days take place near Taormina, in Sicily. The places to visit are agreed together each time. There is no overnight stay: we share one day, and in the evening everyone returns to their own home. Hospitality has no price and does not depend on any offering: whoever comes is welcomed for who they are. Everyone contributes as they can: anyone who cannot leave anything is welcomed like everyone else, and takes part by giving a little of their time.

The days are reserved for Catholic and Orthodox Christians, because they are lived in shared prayer. To ask for a date, simply write to me on WhatsApp. The spirit of the days is told in the manifesto of hospitality.

If you would like to know what makes this mission possible, read The circle of love.

Explore the other pages

The days: Christian spiritual days in Sicily · The Philoxenia of Abraham · Spiritual search and finding yourself · Day retreat, silent retreat and pilgrimage: the international names

Spiritual travel in Sicily: Spiritual tourism in Sicily: the guide · Pilgrimage walking routes in Sicily · Holy Week and Easter in Sicily · Religious festivals in Sicily: the calendar · Orthodox pilgrimage in Sicily · Spiritual Nordic walking and ski walking in Sicily

Nature and places: Spiritual walks in nature · Christian meditation in nature in Sicily · Places to meditate near Taormina and Messina · Places to meditate in Sicily

Prayer: Christian asceticism: the spiritual struggle · The prayer of the heart or Jesus Prayer · Hesychasm: the prayer of stillness · The Philokalia: the Neptic Fathers

The saints of Sicily: Byzantine Sicily and the Italo-Greek saints · Saint Hilarion the Great in Sicily · Saint Methodios of Syracuse · Saint Joseph the Hymnographer · Saint Elias the Younger of Enna · Saint Agatha of Catania · Saint Lucy of Syracuse · Saint Pancras of Taormina

Sources

• Wikipedia – Pancras of Taormina
• Lonely Planet – Santuario Madonna della Rocca, Taormina
• Wikipedia – Santi Pietro e Paolo d'Agrò
• Wikipedia – Elias of Enna (with bibliography)
• Wikipedia – Siege of Taormina (902)