The young virgin Agata resisted the advances of the nefarious Quintian (AD 250) and was horribly mutilated (her breasts were hacked off and her body rolled in hot coals). You can visit the dungeons where these atrocities were committed under this church, behind the Roman amphitheatre on Piazza Stesicoro. The saint's jewel-drenched effigy is ecstatically venerated on 5 February in one of Sicily's largest festivals.
Chiesa di Sant'Agata al Carcere
Catania
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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Nearby Catania attractions
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