San Cataldo, Erice

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San Cataldo, or Chiesa di San Cataldo, is a Roman Catholic church in the historic center of Erice, Sicily. It is one of four parish churches in the town, along with the Mother Church (Chiesa Matrice), the Church of San Giuliano, and the Church of Sant’Antonio Abate. The church is dedicated to Saint Catald, a 7th‑century Irish bishop who died while on pilgrimage to the Holy Land and was buried in Taranto.

The church has Norman origins and is first documented in 1339. It was originally Gothic with three naves. From 1740 to 1786 it was rebuilt in its present form as a single large nave, which was later decorated with stucco between 1850 and 1852. During restoration of the outer walls, older curved end sections were found, suggesting the church may have originally been oriented on a north–south axis. Because of this, the current side doorway may have been the main entrance, which explains why the patron’s crest is carved above that door rather than on the front façade.

The parish complex also includes Casa Santa di San Francesco di Sales, an oratory built between 1742 and 1762 for spiritual exercises and retreats located next to the church.