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Chiesa Santa Croce
Senigallia
Le Marche
Italy
The Church of La Croce is a sacred building in Senigallia, an artistic
jewel in the center of the city. Designed by the ducal Muzio Oddi, the
church was consecrated in 1608 on behalf of the Brotherhood of
Sacramento and the Cross , active in assisting the most needy. They were
the knights from white coat on which there was a red Latin cross.
A key article of the Statute of the Brotherhood of the Cross reads: "Putting
its own substances in the life of the Holy Faith and for the service of
suffering humanity." The purpose was to spread in society the concept of
charity. They became a real religious foundation and were able to
provide for construction and embellishment of their churches.
The events of this Brotherhood of Senigallia are documented from an
archive, whose preciousness is equal to the works of art in the temple.
It is located in the building adjoining the church. It hand down, in
addition to the Statute of the Brotherhood, the life of itself,
embracing a period ranging from 1564 to the present. The façade is in
Renaissance-style and on the front door you can find the admonition of
Saint Augustine: "Erigis et fugit you humilias te et venit ad te" (If
you exalt the Lord flees from you, if you are humble he will come to you).
The interior rather than a church looks like a hall, a chapel of the
Brotherhood. There currently is practiced daily worship before the
Blessed Sacrament. The plan is rectangular. The altars are six: each of
which was originally dedicated to a guild of art. At the center there is
a fence with tendrils supporting a cross. Inside is housed the statue of
Christ dead, the wooden work of the seventeenth century.
Above the altar, “Christ carried to the tomb”, one of the best works of
the painter executed by Barocci of Urbino in 1582. The artist also
designed the frame of the picture. There are also four works by the
painter Giovanni Anastasi of Senigallia. The magnificent coffered
ceiling is embellished with a square central band with the symbols of
the Cross and the Eucharist, emblem of the Brotherhood of Crocesegnati
and SS. Sacramento. The organ is enclosed in a wooden case. It was built
by renowned builder Callido Gaetano , in 1775. The altars are six and
are distributed along the sides.
The first altar on the left side is dedicated to St. Barbara patron
saint of bombers and artillery. The second altar on the left side houses
a large niche where is enclosed the painting by Ridolfi’ of the
Crucifixion. The picture on the left side on the third altar is the Holy
Family and St. Gregory interceding for the souls in Purgatory of 1600.
The painting above the altar, first on the right side, represents the
Virgin assumed into heaven, St. Francesco and St. Nicola of Tolentino of
the seventeenth century. On the second altar on the right side there is
a small picture painted on canvas and a copy of the image of Our Lady of
Good Counsel, venerated in the shrine of Genazzi Palestrina whom was
devoted PIO IX. In the third altar on the right side there hangs a
painting by an unknown school Marche, which depicts the Crucifixion with
angels adoring and down, St . Tommaso D’Equino, Dominican, and St.
Bonaventura. The church has outside sober characters in the style of the
late Renaissance, in contrast to the interior lavish baroque.
Sponsored by
Comune di Senigallia
turismo@comune.senigallia.an.it
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