Gerace - Maria del Mastro

The history of Gerace is closely linked to that of Locri at the coast, as the inhabitants abandoned Locri and fled from a Saracen attack and piratical dangers. They settled inland, where is Gerace now. The Locrian diocese was moved to Gerace and the innumerable presence of churches and monasteries helped to identify the fortress as a kind of Holy Mount. Because of its particular position, however, Gerace soon became a center of exceptional importance. The possibility of controlling coastal traffic, and the natural fortification, meant that it became the object of attention of the Byzantine Empire and the Kingdom of Sicily. In 986 the Saracens briefly conquered the city, but it returned to Byzantine control until the Norman conquest in 1059. Gerace was the seat of a principality under the Normans.

Maria del Mastro was founded in Norman times around 1085 and originally dedicated to martyrs Eustrazio and Caterina. Excavations have brought to light several ossuaries, various ceramics, and decorated stuccoes dating back to the 12th century. Next to the main entrance are the remains of the ancient apse, positioned to the east and belonging to the foundation. The transition from the Greek to the Latin rite here, which took place in 1480, would have led to the abolition of the east-facing apse. The church was damaged by the earthquake of 1908.