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Church of S. Francesco di Paola

Church of S. Francesco di Paola

Piazza S. Francesco di Paola. Erected in the fourteenth century. It is granted to the Tailors' Workers.

Architecture

Structure late Renaissance is characterized by interventions manneristic and decorations baroque rich in frescoes, stuccos of admirable workmanship, decorations in mixed and polychrome marbles. The interior of the plant a Latin cross shows a single nave flanked by deep intercommunicating chapels, five on each side. The many with  cross vaults of the central nave have frescoes by Joseph Salerno, with depictions of the four patron saints of Palermo, of the four doctors of the Church, of four holy martyrs and of the four evangelists. In the vault of the presbytery there are the frescoes of the Peace, Wisdom, Charity e Hope, works of Vito d'Anna and the son Alessandro d'Anna, dated 1766.

Between the arches of the chapels there are frescoes i Miracles of San Francesco di Paola, among the large windows the figures of Apostoli made by fra Mariano Castelli da Vicari between 1700 and 1710, also author of the stuccos that crown the arches, those above the entrance door (internal side), and the polychrome marble inlays of the pilasters of the presbytery decorated with cherubs and symbols that allude toOrder of Least.

Right aisle

First span: Chapel of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria. The altarpiece is from Philip Paladini, the marble bas-reliefs of the frame are attributed to Antonello Gagini coming from the primitive temple. In the vicinity of the balustrade he is buried Vincent Gagini.

  • Second span: Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Primitive Chapel of San Carlo Borromeo, later dedicated toEpiphanyor to Three Kings. On the walls there are frescoes depicting the biblical episodes of Judith beheading Holofernes e Esther and King Ahasuerus. The painting depicting theAdoration of the Magi di Vincenzo degli Azani called the "Roman". The vault has angular niches in drum polygonal, externally it has an Arab-style dome, a legacy of the oldest parts of the church.
  • Third span: Chapel of San Giuseppe. Primitive Chapel of the Madonna della Pietà. On the altar the painting depicting the Lamentation of Christwith the Virgin Mary holding his dead son Jesus, on the sides the figures of San Francesco d'Assisi e San Francesco di Paola. On the side walls paintings depicting as many mysteries of the glorious life of the Mother of Jesus. On the table the simulacrum of Saint Joseph with the Child Jesus made of papier mache.
  • Fourth span: Chapel of San Francesco di Paola. In the past, the panel painting by San Francesco di Paolaand Ettore Pignatelli he had devotedly commissioned]. Today a wooden statue of the same saint is venerated, placed inside a reliquary To the walls St. Francis in the presence of Pope Sixtus IV on the right, San Francesco di Paola in the presence of the King of France Louis XI on the left.
  • Fifth span: Chapel of San Bartolomeo and San Lorenzo martyr. Dedicated in the jubilee year of 1600, it houses the altarpiece a painting painted in 1601work of Joseph Albino]. Here the silver simulacrum of the Holy Father is kept, a very rich silver statue that is led in procession through the city, on the occasion of the patronal feast on the second Sunday of May by the members of the Confraternity of the Tertiaries of San Francesco.]

Copy of Infant Child of Prague.

Left aisle

First span: Chapel of San Michele Arcangelo. Altarpiece depicting Saint Michael the Archangel copy of Salvatore LoForte from the original of Philip Paladini of 1601, now kept in Abatellis Palace. Font.

  • Second span: Chapel of the Blessed Nicholas of Longobardi. Primitive Chapel of the Immaculate Conceptiontoday dedicated to Blessed Nicholas of Longobardi professed religious of the Order of Minims. Altarpiece depicting The Trinity and Blessed Nicola Saggio de 'Longobardi, work of Alessandro d'Anna, from the 1767c.
  • Third span: Chapel of Sant'Oliva. Owner of the church until 1465year in which the Congregation of the Sartori takes over the availability of the templeOrder of Least of San Francesco di Paola. On the altar the altarpiece depicting Sant'Oliva baptizing the infidels painted by Gaspare Serenari of the 1758, which represents the saint in the act of baptizing some citizens of Tunis. On the side walls the broad bricks with the Martyrdom of Sant'Oliva e Imprisonment of Sant'Oliva. On the vault Santa Oliva in glory di Gaspare Serenari. In the floor there is the access hatch to the Well of Sant'Oliva, a well in which, according to tradition, in the XNUMXth century the body of Sant'Oliva was buried, stolen by Christians from Palermo in Tunis. From that well, it is said, gushed water considered miraculous by the devotees.
  • Fourth span: Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. Primitive Chapel of San Girolamo. The simulacrum of the Immaculate Conception, dating back to the XNUMXth century, is kept in a niche. and very similar to the simulacrum of the Immaculate Conception venerated a Ciminna. In a parietal niche there is a small simulacrum of Jesus by Prague.
  • Fifth span: Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary. Altarpiece depicting the Holy Virgin with  Saint Rosalia e San Domenico in contemplation. In this chapel you can see the magnificent sarcophagus where the remains of Stephanie Branciforte princess of Trabia, Scordia e Butera, the work of the sculptor Valerio Villareale pupil of Giuseppe Velasco, of the † 1852.

Transept

  • Right arm: Chapel of San Francesco di Paola. On the altar the terracotta bust of San Francesco di Paola, work of Vincent Gagini. Below, kept in a crystal case, the famous stick with which the thaumaturge made the water gush out.
  • Left arm: Chapel of the Crucifix. On the wall Crucifixplaced on an artistic reliquary. Patronage holders are the family Galletti.

Among the works of art that complete the transept: The marble bust of Joseph Pignatelli, Duke of Newfoundland, sculpted by Lorenzo Pennino and the sarcophagus of Giovanna de 'Caravelliletterata † February 28, 1546, work attributed to Antonino Gagini.

  • Presbytery: The birth of John the BaptistOn the right side, Nativity of Jesus on the left, both works by Joseph Salerno called the "Lame of Gangi".
    • High altarenriched with polychrome marbles, semi-precious stones and gilt copper friezes, with an artistic ciborium, valuable work of Michael Messina of the 1829. Patronage holders are the family Branciforte counts of Cammarata.

Works of Art

Numerous works of art enrich the church:

  • Sepulcher of Antonio Omodei, work of James Gaginimade in 1537 of Chapel of the Madonna del Soccorso.
  • Sepulcher of Laura Valguarnera, work of the school of Gagini.
  • Sepulcher of Francis Spinolaof the † 1561.
  • Sepulcher of Francesco Notarbartolo, Duke of Villarosa of † 1750.
  • Funeral monument of monsignor Alfonso Ajroldi, work of Valerio Villarealeof the † 1817c.

Sacristy

From transept you access the sacristy. In the center of the vault, a valuable fresco, due to the painter Vito d'Anna, depicting The triumph of religion. At the bottom of it, there is the silver statue Saint Oliva made by Palermo silversmith masters.

(Source: Wikipedia) 

Card insertion: Ignatius Caloggero

Photo: web

Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Web 

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42 Piazza San Francesco di Paola, Palermo, PA, Sicily
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