Rebuilt in 1545 under the orders of Emperor Charles V and Pope Paul III following the destruction of Lipari by Ottoman corsair Barbarossa in July 1544, the church of San Pietro stands along Via Vittorio Emanuele. The original Baroque shrine adjacent to the present site was demolished in 1929 to erect a larger church finished in 1933, to which a bell tower was added on July 7, 1950.
What to see
The interior features recessed arches holding altars and niches along both side aisles. On the right aisle, visitors can view statues of Saint Anthony of Padua, an 18th-century figure of Saint Francis of Paola, the Madonna of Consolation, and the Chapel of the Most Holy Crucifix. The left aisle features an altar dedicated to Saint John the Baptist with a 1945 papier-mâché statue by Lecce sculptor Luigi Guacci, a papier-mâché statue group of the Madonna of the Rosary transferred from the church of Santa Lucia, and the altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The sacristy preserves significant paintings, including a 1595 Neapolitan panel depiction of the Virgin Mary with Saints John the Baptist and Nicholas, a 1716 signed canvas by Moleti depicting Saint Peter freed from his chains by an angel, as well as works portraying the Decapitation of John the Baptist, the Miracle of Saint Nicholas, and the Eternal Father.
Visiting
Elevated to a parish church in 1922, San Pietro is located on Via Vittorio Emanuele. Visitors can examine the statues arranged along the naves and request access to view the historical panel paintings kept inside the sacristy.
Our editors' tip
Make sure to spend extra time examining the sacristy artworks, particularly the 1716 canvas signed by Moleti and the 1595 panel painting created in Naples for the local Confraternity of Saint Nicholas.