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Church of St Catherine of Alexandria in the Woods: a miraculous fresco in the Lubriano countryside
Hidden among the fields northeast of Lubriano, in the Tuscia region of Viterbo, the Church of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria in Silvis is a small rectangular hall built from blocks of nenfro (a local volcanic stone). It became a parish church in 1527 following the destruction of the Church of Vaiano (whose control it had been under) by the troops of the Duke of Bourbon. Today, it comes under the jurisdiction of the parish of San Giovanni Battista.
Two niches, two centuries of devotion
On the right wall, a niche dating to 1561 depicts the Madonna and Child with Saints Sebastian and Roch, commissioned by "Nicolò da Buriano," as the inscription reads. Opposite, a 19th-century fresco portrays the Madonna of the Rosary with Saints Dominic and Catherine of Siena. The lower part features a votive scene regarding an episode traditionally considered to be miraculous. In the scene the church is recognisable from the side entrance and bell-gable. The fresco was restored in 2017 by Tiziana Dell'Omo.
How to get there
The church is accessible from Via Santa Caterina, which branches off from the SP 55 Lubrianese road toward Sermugnano. Nearby stands the Torre del Sole (Tower of the Sun), built by the Febei family between 1576 and 1590, also known as the "Tower of St Catherine."
