Chiesa del Nome di Gesù

“Lost souls seeking solace,” whispered a gondolier as he passed the Chiesa del Nome di Gesù. His words drifted on the Venetian breeze, drawing our attention to this unassuming yet captivating church. The Chiesa del Nome di Gesù, nestled between the Ponte della Libertà and the church of Sant’Andrea della Zirada, holds a story as unique as Venice itself. Constructed between 1815 and 1834 during Austrian rule, the church’s neoclassical design reflects the era’s architectural trends. Giannantonio Selva, the original architect, sadly passed away before its completion, leaving his pupil Antonio Diedo to bring his vision to life. Interestingly, some believe remnants of the demolished San Geminiano church in Piazza San Marco were used in its construction. However, Don Giuliano Catullo, the driving force behind the project, insisted on using new materials. Only the bell gable, taken from the closed church of San Basso, stands as an exception. The church’s story intertwines with a small group of nuns led by Sister Maria Vincenza, who resided in a nearby house. This house became a convent in 1846. During the tumultuous days of the Republic of San Marco in 1849, these nuns found themselves on the front lines, enduring Austrian artillery fire before seeking refuge elsewhere. Today, the Chiesa del Nome di Gesù serves the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic community, a testament to the evolving tapestry of Venice. Approaching the church, a high wall with a large gate flanked by angelic statues creates a sense of enclosure and tranquility. Its harmonious façade, featuring a simple door, a lunette window, and an inscription “Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam,” speaks of understated elegance. Inside, two massive Ionic columns divide the single nave into the hall and presbytery. The rectangular hall, with side altars and lunette windows, boasts a neoclassical coffered roof. The presbytery, widened by exedras, leads to the former convent area. Statues of the twelve apostles, crafted by prominent sculptors of the time, adorn the church’s perimeter. Elegant stuccos by Battista Lucchesi, possibly including the bas-reliefs above the statues, enhance the interior’s beauty. Giuseppe Borsato’s frescoes in the presbytery vaults and the Trinity in the back lunette add a touch of celestial artistry. The marble tabernacle, crowned by a small dome and flanked by angels, echoes Selva’s design in the church of San Maurizio. Two paintings by Lattanzio Querena, “Saint Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata” and “The Sacred Heart of Jesus,” grace the side altars, completing the artistic ensemble of the Chiesa del Nome di Gesù.