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Santa Maria del Soccorso, Alcamo

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(Redirected from Church of saint Maria del Soccorso) Church building in Alcamo, Italy

Church of Saint Maria del Soccorso
The facade
Religion
ProvinceTrapani
RegionSicily
RiteCatholic
Patronsaint Maria del Soccorso (Help)
Location
LocationAlcamo, Trapani, Italy
MunicipalityAlcamo
StateItaly
TerritoryAlcamo
Geographic coordinates37°58′51″N 12°57′58″E / 37.98087°N 12.96611°E / 37.98087; 12.96611
Architecture
Funded bymerchants from Genoa
Groundbreaking1738
Completed1739

The ex Church of Saint Maria del Soccorso is a Catholic Church located in Alcamo, in the province of Trapani. Sicily, Italy.

Description

Among the most ancient churches in Alcamo, it was probably founded in the 15th century by a merchants from Genoa, who were members of the confraternity dedicated to the veneration of Holy Mary's Help. It is situated in corso 6 Aprile, opposite the Mother Church. Originally it was in Gothic style, with a nave and two aisles, but its form became elliptical during the restoration made in 1739.

The interior is well balanced and full of stuccoes made by Nicolò Curti, brother of Lorenzo Curti who carved the wooden statue of Our Lady of Miracles. On the high altar, there is the 16th-century sculpture of Our Lady of Help (Madonna del Soccorso), realized by Bartolomeo Berrettaro.

In the most popular iconography the Virgin Mary is represented armed with a club while hitting a demon terrified at her feet.

The main portal, carved in white stone, with the impost and architrave with moldings, is surmounted by a lunette assigned to Berrettaro; it represents the image of Our Lady of Help among angels.

Works

  • Statua in marmo di Bartolomeo Berrettaro, rifatta da Giacomo Gagini (1545) Statua in marmo di Bartolomeo Berrettaro, rifatta da Giacomo Gagini (1545)
  • Our Lady of Graces, inside the Basilica Our Lady of Graces, inside the Basilica
  • The church portal The church portal
  • Side portal Side portal

Madonna del Soccorso

The veneration for this Madonna started in Palermo in 1306, following the apparition to the Augustinian Friar Nicola La Bruna. People say that the monk, tormented by an incurable disease and very close to death, had been healed thanks to Madonna, who asked him, in return for it, to propagate the news of the miracle and to have her invoked as Our Lady of Help.

Thanks to the Augustinian Friars, the veneration for Our Lady of Help spread all over Italy. Another title given to her is Our Lady with the Club, because she is represented while brandishing a small club to hit the demon crouched and terrified at her feet.

See also

Notes

  1. Gianni Guadalupi, Mariano Coppola, Alcamo, introduzione di Vincenzo Regina(collana Grand Tour), Milano, Grafiche Mazzucchelli, 1995, ISBN 88-216-0615-5.
  2. "Trapani"
  3. Guadalupi, Gianni; Coppola, Mariano (1995). Alcamo, introduzione di Vincenzo Regina(collana Grand Tour) (in Italian). Milan: Grafiche Mazzucchelli. ISBN 88 216 0615 5.
  4. Cataldo, Carlo (2011). La conchiglia di S. Giacomo p.113 (in Italian). Alcamo: Edizioni Campo.
  5. ^ "Caltavuturo e Gratteri: Un antico culto madonita verso la SS. Vergine del Soccorso. - Esperonews: Giornale Termini Cefalù Madonie".

Sources

External links

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