Chiesa di San Nicola di Teora

The Church of San Nicola di Teora (Saint Nicholas), also known as the Church of San Nicola di Mira, is situated in Via Ruggero Bonghi.

The present building was erected after the 1980 earthquake and replaced the previous church, of which now only a few ruins remain: part of the apse wall and the stone base at the entrance to the ancient columns. The people of Teora began worshipping their patron saint after his relics were brought back from the Orient to Bari, in 1087. Under Norman rule, between the 11th and 12th centuries, the following of the patron saint spread throughout the population, as the mediaeval village of Teora continued to grow.

The original Church overlooked the valley and faced onto a small rectangular piazza. The façade was quadrangular, with a square bell tower on the right-hand side, which overlooked the whole town. The interior of the Church also boasts several noteworthy artworks, including the “Death of Saint Nicholas of Mira” painted in 1749 by Angelo Michele Ricciardi (1672-1753). The new Mother Church contains a number of furnishings from the pre-existing sacred space and from the Congregation of the Dead. Particularly notable are the wooden statues of Saint Nicholas of Mira (17th-century) and of Saint Emidius, from the 18th century. Other features include the late 18th-century wooden crucifix and two altars, one in marble from the 19th century and the other, a century older, made from local red stone and marble. There is also a wooden statue of the Madonna and Child as well as three paintings of the Evangelists.

As a symbol of rebirth for the local community, the Church of San Nicola and the remains of the historic sacred site represent a religious tradition handed down over the centuries. The artistic aspect may have changed, but the devotion has not.