| San Francesco all'Immacolata | |
|---|---|
 Facade and bell-tower | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church |
| Province | Siracusa |
| Location | |
| Location | Siracusa, Italy |
| Geographic coordinates | 37°03′39″N 15°17′46″E / 37.06097°N 15.29616°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Style | Baroque |
San Francesco all'Immacolata is a baroque-style, Roman Catholic church located on Piazza Francesco Corpaci on the island of Ortigia, in the historic city center of Siracusa in Sicily, Italy.
Description
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual or Franciscan friars owned a church at this site, initially dedicated to the apostle St Andrew, but in the 16th century rededicated to the Marian venerations of the Immaculate Conception and the Madonna del Socorso. The church underwent a major refurbishment in 1613 with addition of marble stairs and altars. The ceiling frescoes depict the Glory of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception with Saints Francis and Anthony by Giuseppe Cristodoro. In the 19th century after a fire in the church of Sant'Andrea dei Teatini (Theatines), the painting of St Andrew from that church was moved to San Francesco. The clock from that church was also moved to the bell-tower, rebuilt in 1876. The coat of arms above the facade portal displays the symbols of the Franciscan order, the crossed arms before the cross of Christ. Twentieth century restorations have uncovered a 15th-century portal opening to the sacristy.[1]
The plaque at the base of the bell-tower recalls a visit by St Francis to Sicily, but the fascist symbols and dating add a dissonant addition to a Franciscan church.[2]
References
- ↑ Derived from Architettura religiosa in Ortigia by Lucia Acerra, published by Ediprint (1995); cited in Antonio Randazzo, site describing churches of Syracuse.
- ↑ Plaque reads: mentre tutto il mondo prima l'italia saluta e celebra come elevazione di anime il settimo centenario ritorno dacche fu tratta in cielo all mercede l'anima preclara di Frate Francesco/ Siracusa/ a ricordanza del primo asilo oui aperto agli scalzi eredi di madonna poverta vivo ancora lo stesso archimandrita pone concorde questa memoria a lui che nel suo farsi pusillo ai sitibondi dell'oro agli agghiacciati dell' egoismo ricondusse l'eco della voce di cristo fra i difettivi sillogismi delle passioni dispersa e quasi smarrita raccogliendone i suoni in una parola sola rigeneratrice/ amore. i immordini. Anno V dell'era fascista (Year 5 of the Fascist Era) il municipio di Siracusa Addi XXIXI MCMXXVI (1926)