Church of St. Francis

by Comunepetraliasottanain Senza categoriaon Posted on


The convent of St. Francis of Minor Friars was founded in 1484, on the proposal of the Jurors of the University of Petralia Sottana. They offered a municipal area of the ancient square to build the church and the convent.

In the second half of the XV century the decorations were transformed to follow the stylistic trends of the period, so the church became one of the finest examples of Barocchetto Madonita. The main facade is adorned with a beautiful white stone portal that was rebuilt in 1896. On the left side there is a plaque dated 28th April 1862, where the equivalence between the ancient measures and the decimal metric system is reported.

The interior walls of the church have a dense decoration with frescoes by Gaspare Vazzano that represent the life of St. Francis, of the Virgin, of Jesus and significant moments for the Franciscans.

The big chapel and the altar were remanufactured thanks to Baron Egidio Pucci who bought the right of patronage in 1711. The walls were repainted with a decorative cycle that represents moments of the Child’s life and the Lord’s Paradise.

The altarpiece is a painting of St. Egidio that was painted by Antonino Grano in the XVIII century.

Works kept:

  • the splendid eighteenth-century polychrome wood statue of the Immaculate Conception;
  • the marble bust depicting D. Antonio Calascibetta;
  • the carved wooden gold-plated pulpit of XVI century, the confessionals of 1710 and the wainscoting in the sacristy that were made by Pietro Bencivinni from Polizzi.
  • The painting of St. Anthony of the late XVII century Sicilian school.
  • The painting of Our Lady of Providence with St. Charles Borromeo and St. Rosalia of the XVII century.
  • The painting of the Madonna of the Angels with Sts. Andrew, Michael and Francis that was probably made by the school of Novelli.
  • The oil painting of St. Francis receiving the stigmata that was made by Giuseppe Salerno in 1624.
  • The oil painting of the Holy Family with St. Anne and St. Joachim that was made by Giuseppe Salerno in 1607.
  • The painting of St. Elizabeth of Portugal.
  • The painting of St. Louis of Toulouse.
  • The painting of St. Bonaventure.

 

For further information:

Parrocchia Maria SS. Assunta

Tel. and fax: +39 0921.641031

 

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