The Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua (Basilica di Sant’Antonio di Padova) is the most important Catholic church in Padua and one of the largest in the world. The church, dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, is visited every year by over 6.5 million pilgrims, making it one of the most revered shrines in the Christian world. Saint Anthony of Padua was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. He was born and raised in Lisbon, and died in Padua on June 13, 1231. He was one of the most quickly canonized saints in Church history. SHORT HISTORY OF THE BASILICA OF SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA In the Middle Ages, this place was located in a peripheral area of the city of Padua. Here, there was the small Church of Santa Maria Mater Domini, where Saint Anthony stayed for over a year between 1229 and 1231. When Saint Anthony died on June 13, 1231, his body was transfered to this small church and buried there, following his desire. Soon, many miraculous phenomena were recorded around his grave and pilgrims began to arrive first from the nearby districts and then from beyond the Alps. The canonical process Read more [...]
Tag: church in Padua
Scrovegni Chapel
The Scrovegni Chapel (Cappella degli Scrovegni), dedicated to St. Mary of the Charity, commissioned by Enrico degli Scrovegni and frescoed between 1303 and 1305 by the painter and architect Giotto di Bondone, is one of the most important masterpieces of Western art. Since 2006, the Scrovegni Chapel has been nominated to become the second UNESCO World Heritage Site in Padua, the first being the 16th century botanical garden. SHORT HISTORY At the beginning of the 14th century, Enrico Scrovegni, a rich Paduan banker, had bought a land in Padua, in an ancient Roman area, to build a sumptuous palace and a chapel that will be used as a family mausoleum. For painting the chapel, he comissioned the Florentine Giotto, who started the work in 1303 and finished it before March 25th, 1305, when the chapel was consecrated. Giotto painted the entire inner surface of the oratory with a unitary iconography, helped by a team of about forty employees. Palazzo Scrovegni was demolished in 1827 to obtain precious materials and make room for two condominiums, and the chapel was officially acquired by the Municipality of Padua. Immediately after the purchase, the condominiums were demolished and the chapel was restored. In Read more [...]
Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, is the Cathedral of Padua, located in Piazza Duomo, in the historical center of the city. SHORT HISTORY OF THE CATHEDRAL OF SANTA MARIA ASSUNTA According to tradition, the first cathedral of Padua was built after the Edict of Milan from 313. Originally, the church was dedicated to Saint Justina, but following one of its reconstructions, from 462 or 602, it was dedicated to Saint Mary. In 1075, Bishop Olderico consecrated a new cathedral, built on the ruins of the previous one. This basilica was destroyed by the famous earthquake of January 3, 1117. Following the earthquake of 1117, a new cathedral was built on the project of the architect Macillo. The cathedral was consecrated on April 24, 1180. In 1227, the bell tower was rebuilt and, between 1399 and 1400, the bishop Stefano da Carrara carried out some restoration works and built the cross vaults. On January, 1551, the church approved the project of the illustrious Michelangelo Buonarroti for a new presbitery. The Michelangelo project was completed and inaugurated by the bishop Federico Cornaro on April 14, 1582. Around 1635, the construction of the right arm Read more [...]
Basilica of Santa Giustina
Basilica of Santa Giustina, dedicated to Saint Justina of Padua, is an important Catholic church in Padua, located in the square of Prato della Valle. SHORT HISTORY In the 6th century, the praetorian prefect Venanzio Opilione built a basilica on the site of the tomb of Saint Justina of Padua, martyred in 304. The basilica, which in the meantime was flanked by an important Benedictine monastery, collapsed due to the earthquake of 1117. The church was rebuilt in the following years, reusing what remained of the previous construction. Between the 14th and the 16th centuries, the choir, the sacristy and the Chapel of San Luca were built. In this period, the adjacent monastery was also rebuilt. Starting with 1501, a new construction was begun on the project of Girolamo da Brescia. After abandoning the da Brescia project, the monks entrusted the work to Sebastiano da Lugano and then to Andrea Briosco. After the death of the latter, the direction of the work passed to Andrea Moroni and then to Andrea da Valle. The huge construction site lasted for more than a century. The basilica was solemnly consecrated on March 14, 1606. Following the Napoleonic ecclesiastical laws, the abbey was Read more [...]