Founded in 1620 by will of Baron Nicolò Galletti, the church was built on a rocky height near the castle to serve a growing population that needed a larger place of worship than the previous small church dedicated to Saint Cataldo. The building has a tripartite basilica plan in the shape of a Latin cross, with a wide transept and a high barrel vault adorned with neoclassical stuccoes and a pseudo central dome.
In 1698, a partial collapse made major reconstruction and consolidation works necessary, culminating in the solemn consecration on May 9, 1739, by Bishop Pietro Galletti. Inside, the church houses numerous works of art, including the Nativity of Mary (1781) by Carmelo Riggi, an ivory Crucifix dating from the first half of the 18th century, and statues of Saint Michael the Archangel, the Immaculate Virgin, and Saint Cataldo.
In 2019, the Mother Church received special recognition: it was affiliated, with particular privilege, to the Papal Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, the Pope’s cathedral, becoming the first church in Sicily to enjoy this honor.