Cattolica dei Greci

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Coordinates: 38 ° 6 ′ 31.6 ″  N , 15 ° 38 ′ 49.4 ″  E The Church of Cattolica dei Greci (also: Santa Maria della Cattolica dei Greci ) is the oldest surviving Christian building in Reggio Calabria . It stands between the streets via Giudecca and via Aschenez .

history

During the Byzantine period, the Cattolica was the main church in the city. With the arrival of the Normans , the church lost its importance because the Latin rite was introduced at that time . However, the church retained its Byzantine rite . The protopapa remained independent of the bishop until 1818.

The Byzantine Cathedral

Greek inscription on the church.

The origins of the Cattolica are linked to the Byzantine rite. In fact, it was initially the city's cathedral and only later became the "concattedrale di rito greco". The building was originally erected near today's Piazza Italia , between the Teatro Cilea and the Palazzo Musitano . In memory of this, this square is now called via Cattolica dei Greci . In the course of history the church has suffered various disasters, the most recent being the earthquake in Messina in 1783 , in which the church was destroyed.

Neoclassical reconstruction

After the earthquake, the Cattolica was rebuilt in its current location in 1876. The site is a little further east than the original building. It was built in the neoclassical style by the architect Antonino Pugliese . It was damaged again in the earthquake in Messina in 1908 and restored from 1954. It was reopened for church services on March 25, 1957.

Architectural description

Church floor plan.

The floor plan of the church is based on the Latin cross . The three-aisled basilica is closed off to the east by semicircular apsides and above the transept there is an openwork dome that is richly decorated with stucco. Stories of saints are depicted in the oval corners. Inside, the two sections of the church can be recognized by the less richly decorated parts of the naves and the main apse, in contrast to the richly decorated corners, which seem to foam over at every point. The main view still retains neoclassical elements such as the colossal order , which is supported by four columns with composite capitals , on the basis of a continuous plinth and spanned by a high entablature. The tympanum is crowned by a wrought iron cross and the building is complemented by two bell towers.

On the front of the church, an inscription recalls the Greek tradition:

ΚΑΘΟΛΙΚΗ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ
ΤΗΣ ΑΓΙΑΣ ΠΑΡΘΕΝΟΥ ΘΕΟΤΟΚΟΥ
Καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία / τῆς ἁγίας παρθένου Θεοτόκου

Katholikē ekklēsia / tēs hagias parthenou Theotokou

Catholic Church / of the Blessed Virgin and Theotokos 

  • Interior of the church

  • altar

  • The inside of the dome

The bronze portal

Also noteworthy is the golden bronze portals in bronzo dorato , a work by the artist Giuseppe Niglia . Each of the two wings is 6 m high. The style is eclectic , as represented in many of the city's works of art as a mixture of Mediterranean and Northern European tastes. The two door wings of the portal are not divided, but form a coherent scenario: A bright matrix from impressionism that picks up further influences from Mediterranean culture [...] The figures meet with power on a renewed attachment to the symbols of salvation and hope. [...] The figures of the saints and prophets frame the scene in a timeless presence [...] The resumption of the medieval models breathes in the rhythm of the volume against the background of the mighty building that shadows the work of art. In the center of the cross, the seal of the crown of thorns stands out as a sign of the beginning of a path into the sacred space of the church.

The following scenes are represented symbolically on eight panels on the portal:

  1. Annunciation of the Lord
  2. Birth of jesus christ
  3. Presentation of Jesus in the temple
  4. Escape to Egypt
  5. Jesus in the temple
  6. Wedding at Cana
  7. crucifixion
  8. Assumption of Mary .

List of archpriests

In addition to the semi-legendary name of the first archpriest of the Church of Reggio, a Peter in the 12th century, the names of the archpriests are known from the 15th century to 1818:

  • Giovanni Nicola Spanò (1494–1533), married.
  • Alfonso Spanò (1533–1538), son of the previous one, married, three sons. The last archpriest in Reggio to be married.
  • Consalvo Gaetano (1539–1544), appointed at the age of seven, his father Diego ran the business for him.
  • Alfonso De Samano (1544–1555)
  • Bernardino Suppa (1556-1590)
  • Annibale Logoteta (1590-1629)
  • Giovanni Battista Comacchio (1631–1635), elected by the city and confirmed by the Pope, but not by the Viceroy.
  • Giuseppe Mari (1635-1648).
  • Giuseppe Logoteta (1648-1674).
  • Paolo Logoteta (1675-1709).
  • Giuseppe Logoteta junior (1710–1743), during his tenure there were strong differences with the Latin archbishop .
  • Antonio Basile (1746–1756), elected at a time of controversy and not confirmed.
  • Antonio Oliva (1756-1760)
  • Rodolfo Morisani (1760–1769)
  • Filippo Mantica (1769–1771)
  • Vincenzo Dainotto (1771-1818)

The following archpriests have been at the church in the past few decades:

  • Mons. Antonio Musolino (-1998)
  • Mons. Filippo Curatola (1998-2011)
  • Sac. Prof. Valerio Chiovaro (2011-)

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Una chiara matrice di espressionismo si unisce alle insorgenze di cultura mediterranea [...] le figurazioni colpiscono con la forza di una rinnovata adesione ad una simbologia di salvezza e speranza [...] le figure dei santi e profeti incorniciano le scene come presenze atemporali [...] il ricordo di modelli medievali anima il ritmo dei volumi sullo sfondo di profonde edicole di ombre. Al centro della croce il grande sigillo doloroso della corona di spine profila il segno dell'inizio di un percorso verso lo spazio sacrale dell'interno della chiesa. Elvira Natoli
  2. ↑ Spanò Bolani (1857: 254-261).
  3. ^ Website of the parish