The church of Cristo Re, formerly the church of the Purgatorio, is right in the old centre of Paternò, on piazza del Purgatorio. It was built in 1884 as an oratory dedicated to the souls in Purgatory, which also gave their name to the square; in 1954 it became a parish church and took its present title of Christ the King.
What to see
The all-white façade is neo-Baroque with neoclassical elements: on the single rectangular portal is carved the inscription «A Cristo Re Onore e Gloria», and above it are a window and a clock. The four mosaics on the façade, with Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Saint John the Baptist and the Archangel Michael, were made in 1939, during work to enlarge the building.
The plan is octagonal but stretched lengthwise, an effect heightened by the long central space with its apse and by a broad rectangular entrance block that widens the space crosswise. Inside, too, the main decorations are mosaics: two show Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Joseph.
Visiting
The church is on piazza del Purgatorio, in the old centre. Opening hours should be checked with the parish.
Our editors' tip
At the sides of the high altar look at the other two mosaics, with the Madonna Mediatrix and the Crucifixion of Christ.
