The Church of Saint Francis Xavier (

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

: Chiesa di San Francesco Saverio or simply San Francesco Saverio) is a

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

church of

Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...

. It is located on the Street of the same name in the quarter of the Albergaria, within the historic centre of Palermo. The building is considered the masterpiece of the

Jesuit The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

architect

Angelo Italia Angelo Italia (8 May 1628 – 5 May 1700) was an Italian Jesuit and Baroque architect, who was born in Licata and died in Palermo. He designed a number of churches in Sicily, and later worked to reconstruct three cities following the 1693 Si ...

History

On 20 September 1633, the Jesuits founded their fourth house in Palermo. It was destined to house seminarians in their third year (tertianship or third probation). The church is dedicated to the jesuit missionary,

Saint Francis Xavier Francis Xavier, SJ (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; ; ; ; ; ; 7 April 15063 December 1552), venerated as Saint Francis Xavier, was a Navarrese cleric and missionary. He co-founded the Society of Jesus and, as a representative o ...

. The establishment of this church and seminary was patronised by Giovanna Aragona Ventimiglia, Marchioness of

Giarratana Giarratana is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Ragusa, Sicily, southern Italy. Its name is likely derived from Arabic. History An elaborate late-imperial Roman villa with floor mosaics was found in 1989 near Giarratana in the Orto Mosaic ...

. In 1634 the archbishop Giovanni Doria blessed the start of construction. By 1680 the residence was built. In 1685 the reconstruction of the church started. The design by the Jesuit architect Angelo Italia created the octagonal layout of the interior we see today. By 1710 the church was completed. On 29 November 1711 the church was consecrated by the archbishop of

Mazara del Vallo Mazara del Vallo (; is a city and in the province of Trapani, northwestern Sicily, Italy. It lies mainly on the left bank at the mouth of the Mazaro river. It is an agricultural and fishing centre and its port gives shelter to the largest fi ...

Bartolomeo Castelli. After the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Kingdom of Naples in 1767, the seminary was converted into a trade school for the lower classes (bassa gente). In 1800 it became a military hospital.

Art and Architecture

The facade is notable for a number of detached columns. Flanking the portal are two spiraling

Solomonic columns The Solomonic column, also called barley-sugar column, is a helical column, characterized by a spiraling twisting shaft like a corkscrew. It is not associated with a specific classical order, although most examples have Corinthian or Composite ...

. Atop is a bas relief depicting the St Francis Xavier. The first chapel on the right is dedicated to the Crucifix. The second, the larger chapel, is dedicated to St

Ignatius Loyola Ignatius of Loyola ( ; ; ; ; born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Basque Spaniard Catholic priest and theologian, who, with six companions, founded the religious order of the So ...

. The third chapel on the right is dedicated to the Maltese saint of San Calcedonio. On the left, the chapels are dedicated respectively to the Holy Family, St Francis Xavier, and Santa Rosalia.Guida Guida istruttiva per Palermo e suoi dintorni by Gaspare Palermo and Girolamo Di Marzo Ferro (1858); page 424-425.

References

External links

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Description of the church
{{DEFAULTSORT:Francesco Saverio Palermo Roman Catholic churches in Palermo Baroque architecture in Palermo Jesuit churches in Italy 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy

History

Art and Architecture

See also

References

External links