The church of St. Elias the Prophet, patron saint of Peschici, is built with large blocks of marble stones from quarries in the area, which give the structure an essential appearance, with its imposing bell tower "broken" placed in an unusual position, in the middle of the right side. Until about 1300 the church of Sant’Elia Propeta was consecrated to St. Peter and only later, by grace received, was consecrated to the Prophet Elia. Legend has it that in those years an invasion of locusts put in serious danger the crops, then the only source of sustenance, prompting the people of Peschiera to invoke all sorts of sacred figures; after having tried everything they noticed a dusty statue kept in the sacristy, it was St. Elijah the Prophet, they decided to take it in procession through the streets of the country, the same night a strong wind arose and the next morning the fishermen arrived in the bay of Peschici, at the foot of the country,
found a thick blanket of dead grasshoppers and under the wing of each two initials "I.D" or Ira Dei. Since then Peschici
has been devoted to Saint Elias and celebrates him every year on 20 July with a sumptuous feast, preceded by nine days of prayer.
