Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
basilica church in
Genoa
Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian census, the Province of ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. It was built in the 10th century.
The main altar was completed in 1730 by Giacomo Antonio Ponsonelli. The church is also the final resting place of the leading early Italian composer Alessandro Stradella, who was murdered in 1682. (in Italian)
History
Situated outside of the Carolingian-era walls, in what is now the heart of the historical center, a short distance from the
cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...
of
San Siro
Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, commonly known as San Siro, is a football stadium in the San Siro district of Milan, Italy, which is the home of A.C. Milan and Inter Milan. It has a seating capacity of 80,018, making it one of the largest stadiums i ...
chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
dedicated to the
Virgin Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...
had been built in this place by the 6th century, as a response to a
Marian apparition
A Marian apparition is a reported supernatural appearance by Mary, the mother of Jesus, or a series of related such appearances during a period of time.
In the Catholic Church, in order for a reported appearance to be classified as a Marian a ...
to Argenta of the .Various Authors, ''Collegiata di Santa Maria delle Vigne'', Genova, 1980; A. di Ricaldone, ''Manifestazioni di dee dispensatrici di vita (vulgo madonne) dall'età protostorica ad oggi, in Vie della Tradizione'', Palermo, 1997. (in Italian) (in Italian)
On the site of this first sacred building, shortly before the year 1000, a church was built, named Santa Maria delle Vigne because it was located in the center of an area containing vineyards. Archived by the Wayback Machine (in Italian) Archived by the Wayback Machine (in Italian) (in Italian)Cevasco, G.B.; "Descrizione di Genova e del Genovesato", Tipografia Ferrando, Genova, 1846 (in Italian) (in Italian)
In the middle of the 10th century, the farm where the chapel was built belonged to a
viscount
A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status.
In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicia ...
, Idone, who gave it to his son Oberto. Around 980, Oberto, together with Guido di Carmandino, promoted the construction of the new church on the site of the ancient chapel.Alizeri, Federico; ''Guida artistica per la città di Genova'', 1846 (in Italian) The first official reports of the new building date back to the ''Registrum Curiae'' of 1083.Touring Club Italiano, Guida d'Italia - Liguria, 2009 (in Italian) (in Italian) A
collegiate church In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons: a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by ...
was also founded, which appears in a document of 1061, where it was mentioned as having existed for a long time. In 1222,
Pope Honorius III
Pope Honorius III (c. 1150 – 18 March 1227), born Cencio Savelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 July 1216 to his death. A canon at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, he came to hold a number of impor ...
issued a papal bull, fixing the number of canons at 12 and establishing the rules of the community. The provost of the chapter still holds the title of
Prelate of Honour of His Holiness
A Prelate of Honour of His Holiness is a Catholic prelate to whom the Pope has granted this title of honour.
They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges as regards clerical clothing. Archived by the Wayback Machine (in Italian)
A town arose around the church in the 12th century, and was incorporated together with San Siro in the urban fabric of a city which was growing and now extended outside its early Carolingian walls. It was consecrated in 1117, and in 1147, shortly before the new " Barbarossa walls" contained it within the town limits, the church became the
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...
church of what would shortly become one of the liveliest commercial districts near the
Port of Genoa
The Port of Genoa it is one of the most important seaports in Italy, in competition with the ports of Marseille and Barcelona in the Mediterranean Sea. With a trade volume of 51.6 million tonnes, it is the busiest port of Italy after the port of ...
. The construction of the campanile, the only Romanesque structure remaining after the renovations of future centuries, also dates to this period.
Additional work was done in the 13th century, including to the roof. The first major alterations to the original Romanesque complex began in 1585, financed by Agapito Grillo, when it was decided to extend the
apse
In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an '' exedra''. ...
up to the area of the
cemetery
A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...
behind it, and expand the side apses with chapels on either side of the main altar. The extensions were carried out by the architect Gaspare della Corte. The Chapel of the Crucifix has a marble covering, added by Taddeo Carlone in 1587.
In 1646, during a by cardinal Stefano Durazzo, the cardinal arranged for additional renovations.Alizeri, Federico; ''Guida artistica per la città di Genova'', Genova, 1846, vol. II, e ''Guida illustrativa per la città di Genova'', Genova, 1875. (in Italian) These renovations included the opening of three semicircular windows and an overhaul of the
nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
s, with the replacement of the columns and the construction of the
cupola
In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, most often dome-like, tall structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome.
The word derives, via Italian, fro ...
, and were entrusted to the architect . With the transformation of the interior in Baroque style, the chapels and side altars were also enriched with paintings and sculptures by the
confraternities
A confraternity ( es, cofradía; pt, confraria) is generally a Christian voluntary association of laypeople created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy. They are most ...
and noble families.
Around 1820 the frescoes in the vaults were completed. Between 1841 and 1848, a new marble facade, done in Neoclassical style, was added to the church; it was designed by . Since the addition of the facade, the building has not undergone any substantial modifications.
On January 8, 1983,
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
issued a
papal brief
A papal brief or breve is a formal document emanating from the Pope, in a somewhat simpler and more modern form than a papal bull.
History
The introduction of briefs, which occurred at the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Eugene IV (3 Marc ...
, bestowing on the church the title of
minor basilica
In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...
.
Interior decoration
*''Madonna with Saints Leonardo and Stefano'' (18th century) by
Domenico Parodi
Domenico Parodi (1672 – 19 December 1742, in Genoa) was an Italian painter, as well as a sculptor and architect, of the late-Baroque. He was the son of the famous Genoese sculptor Filippo Parodi and the older brother of the Baroque painter Gi ...
*''Madonna, Child, and Angels'' (c 1465) attributed to Giovanni Mazone
*''San Michele'' (c. 1680) by Gregorio De Ferrari
*''St Catherine'' (central panel of polyptych 1476 and 1494, by
Francesco da Pavia
Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name "Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include:
People with the given name Francesco
* Francesco I (disambiguation), sever ...
*''Ten Thousand Crucifixions'' (1580) by
Bernardo Castello
Bernardo Castello (or Castelli) (1557–1629) was an Italian painter of the late-Mannerist style, active mainly in Genoa and Liguria. He is mainly known as a portrait and historical painter.He needs to be distinguished from Giovanni Battista Ca ...
*''Last Supper'' (17th century) derived from Oratory of San Giacomo delle Fucine by
Simone Balli
Simone Balli (born c. 1580 in Florence) was an Italian painter of the 17th century. He settled in Genoa in 1600, where he mainly painted. He trained with Aurelio Lomi
Aurelio Lomi (29 February 1556 – 1622) was an Italian painter of the late-R ...
*''Birth of the Virgin'' (1784) by Giuseppe Cades
*A ''Crucifix'', ''Madonna'', and ''St John'', statues attributed to
Anton Maria Maragliano
Anton Maria Maragliano (18 September 1664 – 7 March 1739) was an Italian sculptor of the Baroque period, known primarily for his wooden statues. He was born in Genoa, where he led an important workshop.
He is called also Maraggiano by some ...
*''Triumph of the Cross'' (c. 1690) and ''Vision of St John of the Cross'' (c. 1685) by
Domenico Piola
Domenico Piola (1627 – 8 April 1703) was a Genoese painter of the Baroque period. He was the leading artist in Genoa in the second half of the 17th century, working on ceiling frescoes for many Genoese churches and palaces and canvas paintin ...
*''Madonna and child'' (Late Gothic statue in right portal)
*''Epiphany'' (1819) and ''Apparition of Christ before his Mother'' (1820) by Santo Tagliafichi
*''Madonna and Child'' (1616) by
Giovanni Giovanni may refer to:
* Giovanni (name), an Italian male given name and surname
* Giovanni (meteorology), a Web interface for users to analyze NASA's gridded data
* ''Don Giovanni'', a 1787 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, based on the legend of ...
Felice Vinelli
Felice Vinelli (Genoa, circa 1774 – 1825) was an Italian painter, during the Neoclassic period.
He became professor of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts of Genoa.Taddeo di Bartolo
Taddeo di Bartolo (c. 1363 – 26 August 1422), also known as Taddeo Bartoli, was an Italian painter of the Sienese School during the early Renaissance. He is among the artists profiled in Vasari's biographies of artists or ''Vite''. Vas ...
*''Presentation of the Virgin'' (1785) by
Giovanni David
Giovanni David (15 September 1790 in Naples – 1864 in Saint Petersburg) was an Italian tenor particularly known for his roles in Rossini operas.
Overview
David (also known as Davide) was the son of the tenor Giacomo David, with whom he studied ...
*''Visitation'' (c. 1820) by Giuseppe Passano
*''Trinity and Saints'' (1770) by Carlo Giuseppe Ratti
*''Annunciation'' (1690) by Giovanni Andrea Carlone
*''Virgin with Saints Lawrence, Liborio, and Phillip Neri'' (1681) by Giovanni Battista Casone
*Tomb of Doctor Anselmo (1304); sarcophagus with second century with reliefs of ''Death of Phaedra''
*Marble relief by ''Saints John the Baptist and Rocco intercede for souls in Purgatory'' (1670) by Daniello Solaro
People connected to the basilica
Musician Alessandro Stradella (1644-1682) is buried in the church. (in Italian) On February 25, 1682, he was fatally stabbed during his stay in Genoa by hired assassins. A nobleman, Giovan Battista Lomellini, was suspected of responsibility, but was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Lomellini's presumed motive was a belief that Stradella, who was giving Lomellini's sister music lessons, was also in a relationship with her.
On April 16, 1815, while taking refuge in Genoa during
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
Mass
Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different eleme ...
there. Archived by the Wayback Machine (in Italian)''Giornale degli studiosi di lettere, scienze, arti e mestieri'', Genoa, 1870 (in Italian)
Giacomo della Chiesa, the future
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV (Latin: ''Benedictus XV''; it, Benedetto XV), born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, name=, group= (; 21 November 185422 January 1922), was head of the Catholic Church from 1914 until his death in January 1922. His ...
, was baptized in the church in 1854. He lived nearby in his family's mansion on , and was always particularly connected to his parish church.
Other people connected to the basilica include: Sister Elisa Giuseppina Mezzana, co-founder of the ; Eugenia Maria Ravasco, founder of the (
beatified
Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their nam ...
apologist
Apologetics (from Greek , "speaking in defense") is the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse. Early Christian writers (c. 120–220) who defended their beliefs against critics and ...
(beatified in 2017); Cardinal
Gaetano Alimonda
Gaetano Alimonda (23 October 1818 – 30 May 1891) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church, who was Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Turin, Turin from 1883 until his death. He was previously Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Al ...
; and
Rosa Maria Benedetta Gattorno Custo
Rosa Maria Benedetta Gattorno Custo (14 October 1831 – 6 May 1900) was an Italian Roman Catholic who was widowed and later became a nun. She was also the founder of the Daughters of Saint Anne and assumed the new name of "Anna Rosa" after she h ...
, founder of the (beatified in 2000). (in Italian)