Completely immersed in olive groves and perched on a rock behind Trevi, the now former church of Santa Caterina was the centre of religious life for the people of Trevi for many years. Only a large fresco on the back wall remains of the church, depicting a dramatic Crucifixion, with life-size figures of the various Marys, St. Francis, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Catherine of Alexandria. The fresco dates back to the 14th century and has been attributed to the ‘Primo maestro di Santa Chiara da Montefalco’ (First Master of Santa Chiara from Montefalco). The canvas depicting the Martyrdom of Saint Catherine, currently preserved in the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Lagrime, came originally from this church.
The building was probably abandoned due to its largely inaccessible position and the nearby presence of the Capuchin convent, where the Cemetery is now, which was larger and more active. There have always been many devotees of Santa Caterina amongst the population of Trevi and is connected to Trevi’s flagship: on 25th November, in fact, the feast day of the saint, once the Mass had ended, the olive harvest began. At the end of the 19th century, the building was defaced in order to retrieve stone for the construction of Trevi’s hospital and since then its condition only worsened, until its restoration in 2011, which has now made it possible to see and visit this gem again, thanks to the path created by the mountain community.