San Tommaso d'Aquino

Kraak! Just a short walk — only 100 meters from the Callìa district, along Via Marcello Scotti — you’ll find a church that reveals itself gently, like a boat rising through the waves: it is dedicated to Saint Thomas Aquinas, with origins dating back to the 18th century.

Criii! It is cared for by the Confraternity of the Immaculate of the Turchini — named after their silk mozzetta, a short cape with a deep color, like the sea at dusk. Did you know they are the ones who preserve this place every day?

Squa-squa! Inside, you’ll find a remarkable wooden sculpture of Christ, created in 1728 by the Neapolitan sculptor Carmine Lantriceno. It shows Christ at the moment of the Deposition from the Cross: lying on a simple board, his head resting on a cushion. A quiet image that moves like wind through sails.

Kraak! This artwork doesn’t stay still: it closes the Good Friday procession, the traditional “Mysteries” procession. When it passes, the whole island pauses. Have you ever seen emotion rise like waves? Here, it truly happens.

Criii! The church as you see it today was built in 1885, commissioned by Angiolino Scotti. Its structure is a Greek cross — meaning all arms are equal — and it is topped by a dome reaching upward like a silent lighthouse.

Squa-squa! Take a moment to look outside as well: the facade on Via Marcello Scotti is preceded by a four-column pronaos — a covered entrance, elegant and welcoming, like a safe harbor before stepping inside. Have you already walked past it without noticing?