Church of the Gesu (Palermo)

The Chiesa del Gesù, also called Casa Professa, is a church in Palermo. She stands in Piazza Casa Professa and is the oldest church of the Jesuits in Sicily.

Architectural History

The church building with a cruciform ground plan was built from 1564 to a design by Giovanni Tristano and extended by the side aisles From 1591 Natale Masuccio. The expansion of the interior lasted until 1860.

In 1943, the building was badly damaged by bombing, then laboriously restored. Behind the church is a Jesuit house, the Casa Professa, which now houses the city library.

Facade

The rather plain facade is divided by a cornice into two sections. In the lower part there are three portals, about niches with statues of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a Madonna with Child and Francisco de Xavier. The upper section is divided by pilasters and framed on both sides with brackets and statues of saints. To top the facade is terminated by a blown-up segment gable and the Jesuit emblem. The originally planned by Masucci side belfries were not executed, the present campanile from the 18th century was built on the adjacent Palazzo Marchesi. In 1943, the building was badly damaged by bombing, then laboriously restored. Behind the church is a Jesuit house, the Casa Professa, which now houses the city library.

Interior

The system of three-nave interior follows the guidelines that were implemented with the Council of Trent, especially in Jesuit churches, for example, by each participant was able to follow the worship of any point of the church from the sermon. Built in the form of a Latin cross nave is 72.10 m long, 42.65 m wide and 70 m high and is decorated with polychrome marbles, stucco and frescoes. In particular, the marble reliefs with their figural and ornamental motifs on the pillars and the perspective applied marble mosaics are unique. The 1943 destroyed dome was built with double dome and stained glass windows again.

Equipment (selection )

  • Pietro Novelli, "Paul as a hermit with trailers " and " The Holy Pilipp Agira heals a demon-possessed " ( 1639 )
  • Rosalia Novelli " Annunciation " (1645 ) and " Madonna Immacolata with Saints " ( 1633)
  • Vito D' Anna: wall fresco depicting scenes from the life of Santa Rosalia ( 1625)
  • Antonio Grano: panel paintings " Holy Family ", " martyr " (1704), " Adoration of the Magi " (1705 ) and ceiling frescoes with scenes from the life of Santa Rosalia (1714 )
  • Giuseppe Spatafora: " The Japanese martyrs " ( 1655)
  • Procopio Serpotta: Stucco Arch " God the Father with angels " and stucco decoration in the right aisle
  • Gaspare Serenario: " Ciro and the Temple "
  • Ignazio Marabitti: high relief "Saint Louis Gonzage "
  • Gioacchino Vitagliano: " Abigail and David "
  • Giambattista Ragusa: Frescoes ( pilasters )
  • Travaglia Giovanni: marble relief (1670 /72)
  • Gaspare Vazzano: frescoes ( 1618)

Gallery

Main entrance

Ceiling and clerestory

Ceiling with frescoes.

Chapel

Confessional

167789
de