St. Anthony’s Church originated as a country church (around the mid-1400s), and where the square stands today, the old cemetery was located. On June 12, 1768, Monsignor Pilo, responding to citizens’ requests, began to adorn and enhance the church. In the following year, on December 30, 1769, the same Monsignor Pilo with a solemn procession brought the Eucharist and Holy Oils to the church, allowing Holy Mass to be celebrated on Sundays from then on. However, it was not until 1947 that St. Anthony became a parish in its own right.
The church has undergone several restorations over the years that have stripped it of many of its original features such as the marble altar, balustrade, pulpit, baptismal font, and typical wooden roof. At the event, the church will host a collection of ancient statues of great artistic value, an unprecedented collection of vestments and church furnishings. In the chapels, it will be possible to view reproductions of old photos of the church, which testify to the intense and active religious devotion, as well as a chance to see today compared with the past.
