According to legend, San Leucio, bishop of Brindisi, killed the dragon that was impeding the unification of the towns of Ate and Tixia. After having killed the monster, the Saint donated its blood and a rib to the people, in order that these be kept as a reminder of that event, inside the Atessa cathedral that was built on the site of the dragon’s cave. The rib is still on display in the cathedral today. The cathedral has a typical basilica shape with 5 naves, the first dates back to 874 according to the writing of Tomasso Bartoletti who wrote of the restoration of the building in1312. In 1596 the woodcarvers Antonio Parvolo and Giambattista Cerinola created the large housing and the canopy for the high altar. In 1750 important restructuring work was undertaken during which the other two side naves were created bringing the total number of naves to 5, the bell tower and a new façade were also added. In 1767 the interior was embellished with wooden choir stalls, a pulpit, the organ site, the lectern and two magistrate’s chairs, all created by the woodcarver, Mascio. In 1935 a huge restoration of the church was carried out, renovating the original medieval façade. In 2003 during the restoration of the choir stalls the two frescoes dating back to the 13th 14th century were discovered. The cathedral’s most valuable piece of work is embossed silver and glazed monstrance dated 1418 created by Nicola da Guardiagrele. The building has a linear external structure that conceals its complex interior, the fruit of numerous interventions over the centuries. In the central entrance, below a niche containing a statue of San Leucio, there are two more niches to the side containing sculptures of the four Evangelists. The central nave is entirely clad in plastering in a late baroque style and frescoes recreating scenes from the holy scriptures, the work of the artist Teodoro Ludovico. A large arch divides the central nave from the apse decorated with a fresco from a cycle that is presumed to relate to the cult of the Divine Sacrament.