Church of St Jerome

Designed by the Jesuit architect Friar Angelo Italia at the expense of Friar Girolamo Mistretta, the church runs along via Garibaldi, the main artery of the urban fabric of Polizzi. Adjoining the former Jesuit convent, today home to the Town Hall, the Municipal Library and the Civic Archaeological Museum, this imposing architectural complex occupies an entire block and was the only seat of the Order of the Jesuit Fathers in the whole territory. On the main front of the church one may admire the fine portal, probably built to a design by Italia himself and most likely executed by Nicola Morina in 1701. Its upper section bears a shell with Saint Jerome and, lower down, the coat of arms of Girolamo Mistretta. At the sides it is enriched with saints, volutes, flowers and other elements typical of Baroque taste.

On the Greek-cross plan rises a large dome on an octagonal base, covered by a tall drum buttressed at the corners and ending in a lantern.

The interior is arranged entirely around the great central space, with the chapels set around it, joined by a broad cornice running along the whole perimeter, and with passages created between the outer wall and the pillars supporting the great central dome.

The church houses works of art placed here in recent times, such as the Lamentation over the Dead Christ with Saints Sebastian and Catherine of Alexandria, of the third decade of the 16th century and attributed to Johannes de Matta; the Madonna and Child ascribed to Giandomenico Gagini and dated 1557; and other works attributed to Giuseppe Salerno.