It was a little cloudy today, with a light threat of rain and a thunder storm, so I decided on indoor activities. I had heard about an ancient church here in town, set within the deep recesses of the hillside. Making my way to St. Peters Church, I wandered into a back alley and found the amazing cave church of Modica.
San Nicolo Inferiore
For a modest €2.50, I entered a dark cave that is the Church of San Nicolo Inferiore, the oldest church in Modica. After my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I was deeply moved by the images I saw.
This is an ancient church, built in the 11th century, a single room carved into the limestone hillside. Consisting of a single nave and one side room, the feeling is overwhelmingly mystical.
San Nicolo was only discovered in 1987! After the huge earthquake in 1693, it was buried under rubble not to see light for another 300 years.
The Frescoes
What you come to see in this magical space are the frescoes. Dating back to early Byzantine times, there are three different ages of paintings. Through excavation and careful restoration, I could distinctly see the three separate layers of iconography.
Earliest
This information is taken from the sign withing the church itself. There are varying accounts online, so I wanted this to be as factual as possible.
There are three stages of frescoes, each painted on plaster and laid in addition to each other. Dating from the 11th century is the earliest layer. These are in the apse and are quite faint. They show a seated male who could be St. Nicholas, with two other people and an angel.
Middle Layer
From the 13th century, is perhaps the best preserved and definitely the most prominent fresco. At the centre of the nave is a large image of Christ the Pantokrator seated on his throne within an almond. There are two angels around him and he is giving a blessing. On either side of Christ are other figures some better preserved than others.
Most Recent Paintings
To the right of the central image of Christ is the most recent image that dates from the 17th century. Seen here is a beautiful depiction of St. James whose halo is being held aloft by two angels.
Tombs
Within this central nave are five tombs, some of which have not been excavated. It is believed these are from the latest period that the church was used before the earthquake.
In the area to the right of the nave is another carved space that includes a throne seat. Clearly visible in front of this area are at least two tombs.
There are small areas around the walls of the church that have additional frescoes, however they are very faint and I was unable to depict what the images may have been. This is a very small church, it will only take you a matter of minutes to see inside, but is perhaps one of the best things to see in Modica. I was alone in the space when I visited, it was quiet, damp, mysterious and incredibly amazing.
