Casa Professa in Palermo is the name by which the church of the Jesus of the Sicilian capital is known. It is undoubtedly one of the most important examples of Baroque art that can be found in Sicily.
The beauty of the interior of the Casa Professa in Palermo will leave visitors amazed.Let’s discover the history of this place and what are the wonders that can be seen during the visit inside, which also includes the famous crypt and the museum
The history of Casa Professa in Palermo
The church of Jesus of Palermo was built from the second half of 1500 when the Jesuits arrived in the Sicilian city. the decorations of its interior began in 1600. The Jesuits are a religious order born a few years earlier by the will of Ignatius of Loyola and belong to the Society of Jesus. their cultural policy was based on renewing the church in its foundations and for this reason the colleges were born.
These initially had the task of educating aspirants who wanted to join the order but later became training schools of the ruling class of Europe. the first church that was built in this place underwent several phonic interventions in 1591 when the walls that divided the chapels to create the naves were demolished. In the XVII’s thought to new extensions that brought the church to have the current appearance. On May 9, 1943, the dome and ceiling of the central nave were destroyed by bombing. They were then rebuilt in 1954 following the ancient design.
Casa Professa in Palermo: what to see inside?
The Church of Jesus in Palermo leaves visitors entering its interior speechless for its beauty. If the facade turns out to be very simple the inside is instead a riot of decorations in baroque style. The plan of the building is a Latin cross and has three naves and a large presbytery. The walls are completely covered with baroque decorations that stage the Glory of Jesus and Our Lady.
The church is divided laterally in chapels of which the first one that is found on the right is that of the S: S. Vergini. Here there is an altar above which is the statue of the Guardian Angel of the Virgins. Also here are the frescoes of 1618 attributed to Gaspare Bazano. The second chapel is that of S. S. Confessors in the center of which there is an imposing memorial dedicated to the three Holy Japanese Martyrs.
In the next chapel there is the altarpiece of the second half of the sixteenth century dedicated to Saint Clement the Pope and Saints Stephen and Lawrence. Continuing the visit you meet the chapel of Our Lady of Trapani and you get to the transept where there is the Chapel of San Francesco Saverio. The next chapel is that of S. Luigi Gonzaga where there is an important high relief by Ignazio Marabitti of 1762. On the right of the presbytery is the one dedicated to the Holy Family.
In front of the main altar stands an imposing dome that is supported by four pillars on which there are wonderful decorations that refer to the four natural elements. In the left part of the presbytery there is the Chapel of S. Anna inside which there are several groups of sculptors. Finally, the last chapel you meet is that of St. Rosalia on whose altar there is a painting depicting the Patron Saint of the city dressed as usual in Brazilian clothes.
The museum of the Professa House in Palermo
The Professa house in Palermo is visited every year by many people from different parts of the world. Inside there is the museum that preserves its artistic and cultural heritage. We find works of painting, writing and figurative art that allow you to discover the history of the Jesuit Order and its complex culture characterized by deep symbolic references. The exhibition is divided into two levels and is divided into several thematic rooms.
The first is that of the Paliotti in which are preserved some frontages of the Baroque period. Continuing you enter the Sala dei Crocifisso where you can see some architectural remains of the original church demolished for the construction of the Jesuit complex. In the room there are various spiritual works about the Order. The Flour Room consists of several majolica and some paintings.
Upstairs is the Bridal Room with a collection of paintings from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. From the ground floor you can then access the Crypt which is divided into two irregular rooms with a quadrangular plan that are carved into the rock. The museum of the Professed House of Palermo also includes the Central Apse, four Apsidal chapels and the Sacristy.
Copertina: globusrivista
