Oratorio di Santa Caterina, Palermo

The Oratory of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (Italian: Oratorio di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria) is a Baroque oratory located attached to the church of Sant'Ignazio all'Olivella, in the quarter of the Castellammare of Palermo, region of Sicily, Italy.[1]

Oratorio di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria
Oratorio di San Caterina
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Province	Archdiocese of Palermo
Rite	Roman Rite
Location
Location	Palermo, Italy
Geographic coordinates	38.12037°N 13.36044°E / 38.12037; 13.36044
Architecture
Style	Sicilian Baroque
Groundbreaking	1726

Interior towards the main altar

This oratory was built in 1726 under the patronage of the Confraternity of Santa Caterina, and supposedly set on the site of the former family home of Santa Rosalia. The interior stucco decoration was completed by Giacomo Serpotta and his son Procopio. In the vestibule is a depiction of The Mystical Marriage of St Catherine by Giuseppe Salerno.

Flanking the entrance are allegorical statues of Knowledge and Science, two areas of study which the Jesuits wished to stress. Along the wall are small stucco dioramas with episodes of the life of St Catherine. The main altarpiece depicts the Martyrdom of St Catherine (1609) also by Salerno. The church also has a Renaissance painting depicting the Madonna and Child by Vincenzo da Pavia. The stalls for the members of the confraternity are also engraved with episodes of the life of St Catherine. Since 1946, the oratory has hosted the Order of the Holy Sepulcher.[2]