Overlooking the main square of Aci Castello, the Church of St. Joseph is one of the village’s most representative religious buildings. Built in the 1840s, it stands on a site previously occupied by another sacred structure, as evidenced by the lower part of the bell tower, with its “scarp” base, typical of 16th-century towers. The Baroque-inspired building is part of the climate of reconstructive fervor that animated Sicily after the devastating 1693 earthquake, which led to the construction of numerous places of worship throughout the island.
The church was strongly desired by Don Andrea Cavalli and the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, which included the castle captain Don Lucio Massimino. The project was born with the intention of emulating the elegant chapels of Palermo’s Oratories, with a focus on artistic quality and architectural solemnity. The new church was dedicated to St. Joseph, a patriarch revered by the community, but inside there was also an altar dedicated to St. Francis of Paola, protector of fishermen, whose statue (now lost) was carried in procession on the feast day.
The Church of St. Joseph was not only a place of worship, but also a funerary space. Repaving work carried out in the 1970s unearthed an underground crypt that stretches the length of the nave. The underground environment is occupied by noble tombs, some of which correspond to the cenotaphs visible on the walls of the upper nave. In the chancel, on the other hand, is the common tomb of the Confraternity, marked by a plaque from 1762, which is preserved today thanks to recovery work carried out during the restoration.
The interior of the church, although modest in size, was striking in its decoration. Originally, the presbytery was decorated with frescoes, probably done by Gianbattista Piparo, a painter active in the 18th century. Unfortunately, most of these paintings have been lost due to neglect and the passage of time. At the turn of the 1970s and 1990s, the then parish priest Monsignor Salvatore Sinatra initiated a major restoration project, entrusting Angelo Cristaudo with the recovery of the three large altarpieces depicting the Holy Family, St. Francis of Paola and St. Philip Neri, which were in danger of irreversible deterioration.
The church bell tower, once topped by a majolica pyramidal spire, lost its top following the 1908 earthquake, which caused severe damage to the structure. Further damage also occurred following the 1990 earthquake. Despite the wounds of time and natural events, the church managed to keep alive its architectural dignity and symbolic value to the local community.
In the 19th century, with the opening of the new municipal cemetery in 1885, the church ceased to serve as a cemetery chapel and experienced a gradual decline. For many decades it was opened only on the occasion of novenaries in honor of St. Joseph, keeping alive at least in part its religious function. Only thanks to subsequent restorations was it possible to restore the church to some of its original splendor.
Today the Church of St. Joseph represents not only an important example of religious Baroque architecture, but also a living testimony to the history and devotion of the inhabitants of Aci Castello. Its understated elegance, intense relationship with the urban context and identity function make it a place to visit and rediscover. Declared a national monument, the church is one of the beating hearts of the village, the center of the religious celebrations and traditions that still mark the life of the castellese community.