The sanctuary stands in the place of the ancient Avignone quarter where Sant’Annibale Maria di Francia, one of the patron saints of Messina, in 1878, started his mission for the poor and needy. After the earthquake of 1908, pope St. Pius X gave Sant’Annibale a church hut dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. During the night between the 26th and 27th of April 1919, a mysterious fire destroyed it. So Sant’Annibale bought several hovels already existing in the ill-famed Avignone quarter and built a church with a male orphanage attached. It was opened with the title of “Temple of the Rogation of the heart of Jesus” and “Shrine of St. Anthony.” It represents the first church in the world dedicated to prayer for vocations, according to the command of Jesus, “Rogate ergo Dominum messis, ut mittat operarios in messem suam” (“Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest”), seen on the big gold inscription in the middle of the imposing façade of the church.

The sanctuary was the first stone church built in the heart of the city after the earthquake of 1908. It occupies an area of 5382 square feet, while the height of the bell tower was limited to 53 feet  for seismic safety reasons. Today the church is linked to the Institute of St. Anthony, where construction, made around ten years later, is consistent in its stylistic structure which, thanks to the use of the same building material, the stone of Melilli, has helped in creating a harmonic and unitary complex. The work has a 19th century architectural style. It has the classic plan of the basilican church with a nave and two side aisles, and it is also inspired by  Renaissance architecture. In the interior, it is possible to admire the statue of St. Anthony, dated around the early 20th century, and some paintings representing his life. In an urn, placed under the Immaculate Conception altar, Sant’Annibale Maria di Francia is buried. At the two sides of the main entrance, there are two panels: at the right side the “Divinità Trionfatrice” (Triumphant Divinity) dated 1936 and made by Mario Barberis, and at the left side, the “Divina Trionfatrice” (Divine Winner) dated 1990 and made by Enzo Liberti. 

At the right of the main entrance, it is possible to enter the museum where there are a collection of paraments and objects of Sant’Annibale Maria di Francia and votive offerings. There is also a scale reconstruction of the ancient Avignone quarter.