church of saint catherine – vercelli

In 2015, the church underwent extensive restoration work, bringing to light several fascinating frescoes, still in excellent condition, dating back to the late 15th century—among them, the depiction of the Nativity.

The Confraternity of Saint Catherine initially arose as the Congregation of Santa Maria della Misericordia, with its founders meeting in a house beneath the parish of Santa Maria Maggiore. It was thanks to the bequest of a fellow brother that the Confraternity’s first church, dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, was built, along with a hospice for travelers and pilgrims on the Via Francigena, which also served as a treatment center for the sick. The new layout for the hospital and the church was granted by Duchess Bianca Maria of Savoy in 1486.

The Confraternity of Saint Catherine was one of the first to equip itself with a Macchina, a sculptural group depicting a biblical passage, which is carried through the streets of Vercelli every Good Friday in the traditional Procession of the Macchine.