The oratory has been mentioned only since 1587; it is dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, the beautiful Egyptian who, according to tradition, was martyred for refusing to convert and marry the emperor Maximinus Daia.

Throughout the centuries, the oratory has always been a place of religious worship except during World War I when it was used to imprison captured Polish soldiers. To demonstrate the Christian life of the oratory, traces of burials and some sacred objects have been found in the underground adjacent to the structure.

In 1980, the Norwegian sculptor Fritz Roed rented the now deconsecrated building and used it as a workshop for his prestigious works.