Built in the late 16th century and consecrated as the Mother Church in 1621, the building was damaged by
the earthquake of 1693.
It was subsequently rebuilt and inaugurated in 1738 by the Bishop of Syracuse, Matteo Trigona.
In 1867 it was the only church to remain open for worship, keeping its doors open during a terrible cholera epidemic that had spread in the area.
In 1893 the staircase connecting the square was built, designed by the engineer Antonino Astuto.
The plan is of the Latin cross basilica type, with three naves and a rectangular apse. The central nave, with a barrel vault, is covered by a wooden structure with a reed and plaster stucco apparatus.
The façade, in late Baroque style, has a scenographic background with two superimposed orders, the upper of which is incomplete.
The central section features the coat of arms of the Santa Pau family and some allegorical elements.
The Church of Santa Margherita (St. Margaret) has a bell tower of considerable size, also mentioned in the novel “Jeli il pastore” by the Catania writer Giovanni Verga.
