Amidst Palermo’s Baroque splendor rises the Church of the Gesù, also known as Santa Maria di Gesù or Casa Professa. Its story began in 1549 with the arrival of the Jesuits in Palermo. They sought to build a church next to their mother house. The original design by Giovanni Tristano featured a single nave. It also included large transepts and several side chapels.
However the early 17th century brought a change. Natale Masuccio transformed the design into a grander layout. This was typical of Jesuit architecture. He removed the chapels’ dividing walls. This created two side naves alongside the central one. The Church of the Gesù was finally consecrated in 1636.
Step closer to admire the facade. A cornice divides it into two distinct sections. Below are three portals. Above, niches display statues of St Ignatius of Loyola and a Madonna with Child. Francis Xavier is also present. Pilasters frame the upper section. Corbels and statues of saints adorn both sides. At the top a curved gable displays the Jesuit emblem. Masucci envisioned belfries but they were never built. Instead an 18th-century campanile stands on the adjacent Palazzo Marchesi.
Inside the Church of the Gesù reveals a Latin cross layout. Polychrome marbles stucco and frescoes decorate the nave. The marble reliefs with their figural motifs are especially unique. The marble mosaics also stand out. The rebuilt structure features a double dome and stained glass windows.
Imagine the church in 1943. During World War II a bomb struck collapsing the dome. This devastated the surrounding walls. It also destroyed most of the wall paintings in the chancel and transepts. Restoration work took two years to replace these frescoes. The church reopened in 2009.
Look for the marble bas-reliefs on the tribuna. They depict the Adoration of the Shepherds from 1710 to 1714. Also find the Adoration of the Magi from 1719 to 1721. Gioacchino Vitagliano created these after designs by Giacomo Serpotta. Antonino Grano added a fresco of the Adoration of the Magi in the 1720s. It is located on the walls of the second side-chapel to the right. A relief of the Glory of St Luke by Ignazio Marabitti is also there.
The Church of the Gesù stands as a testament to Palermo’s artistic and religious history. Its Baroque splendor tells a tale of ambition destruction and rebirth. Consider the dedication of Cavaliere Salvatore Di Pietro. In 1888 he convinced the minister of public education to declare the church a national monument. This ensured its preservation for future generations. As you leave remember the Church of the Gesù a Baroque jewel in Palermo’s crown.