26 September 2011

Oratorio di San Lorenzo – Aperto al pubblico

Art treasures in Palermo, Cattedrali, Chiese, Oratori, Basiliche, Santuari, Cappelle e Conventi, BAROQUE STYLE

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 Via dell’Immacolatella – Palermo
Un’antica chiesa esistente sul luogo dal 1569 diveniva sede della Compagnia di S. Francesco, costituitasi per seppellire i morti del quartiere della Kalsa e che, alla fine del secolo, realizzava l’oratorio per il cui altare maggiore Caravaggio dipinse la celebre Natività (1609) che sarebbe stata rubata nell’ottobre 1969. Alla fine del XVII secolo i Francescani decidevano di riconfigurare la semplice aula, affidando il progetto architettonico a Giacomo Amato e quello scultoreo a Giacomo Serpotta.
Lo splendido ciclo narrativo racconta nei preziosi bassorilievi prospettici scene della vita di S. Francesco sulla parete destra e, su quella opposta, scene della vita di San Lorenzo.

Vita di San Lorenzo martire

San Lorenzo nacque in una città spagnola di nome Osca (huesca), nella prima metà del III° secolo.
Trasferitosi nella capitale dell’Impero, Roma, fu apprezzato per la sua grande carità e ben presto divenne un diacono della Chiesa Romana.
Non passò molto tempo per essere nominato responsabile e amministratore dei beni della Chiesa.
Tanta fu la carità fatta a Roma e nei dintorni; a tale punto che ancora oggi si ricorda e viene venerato in tanti luoghi nella Capitale e nell’entroterra romano.
Il 6 agosto del 258 viene arrestato insieme al Papa Sisto II ed altri cristiani nelle catacombe di San Callisto e il 10 agosto 258 martirizzato.
Fu incarcerato dal centurione Ippolito e segregato nella prigione del suo palazzo. Lorenzo, comunque, continuò a predicare il Vangelo e così ebbe l’occasione di convertire i suoi compagni di cella; Lucillo che era cieco ebbe la vista e fu battezzato, e dopo avere conosciuto questi miracoli, lo stesso Ippolito accettò il martirio.
Perché riconosciuto cristiano fu legato alla coda di un cavallo e trascinato tra sterpi e rovi sino alla morte.
Lorenzo fu bruciato vivo sulla graticola non lontano dalla prigione.
Il suo corpo fu portato al Campo Verano e sepolto nelle catacombe di “Santa Ciriaca”.

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 ENGLISH*

 ►ORATORY of SAINT LORENZO

An ancient church, had been located on the site since 1569, became the seat of the Order of Saint Francis, established to bury the dead in the Kalsa district. At the end of the century, the Franciscan order built the oratory for whose high altar Caravaggio painted the famous Nativity (1609) which would have been stolen in October 1969. At the end of the 17th century the Franciscans decided to reconfigure the simple hall, entrusting the architectural project to Giacomo Amato and the sculptural one to Giacomo Serpotta. In the precious perspective bas-reliefs, the splendid narrative cycle tells scenes of the life of St. Francis on the right wall and, on the opposite wall, scenes from the life of San Lorenzo.

►Life of St. Lawrence martyr

San Lorenzo was born in a Spanish town called Osca (Huesca) in the first half of the 3rd century.

After moving to the capital of the Empire, Rome, he was appreciated for his great charity and soon became a deacon of the Roman Church.

It was not long before he was appointed head and administrator of Church property with the title of Archdeacon.

So much was the charity done in Rome and in the surrounding area to the extent that he is still remembered and venerated in many places in the Capital and in the Roman hinterland.

On 6 August 258 he was arrested together with Pope Sixtus II and other Christians in the catacombs of St. Callisto and martyred on 10 August 258.

He was imprisoned by the centurion Hippolytus and segregated in the prison of his palace. Lorenzo, however, continued to preach the Gospel and so he had the opportunity to convert his cellmates; Lucillus who was blind received back sight and was baptized, and after knowing these miracles, Hippolytus himself became a Christian and accepted martyrdom.

Because he was recognized as a Christian, he was tied to the tail of a horse and dragged through scrubs and brambles until his death.

Lorenzo was tortured by burning on the gridiron not far from the prison though research has shown that he was beheaded.

His body was taken to Campo Verano on the road to Tivoli and buried in the catacombs of “Santa Ciriaca”. Today it is found in the Church which was built over his tomb in about 330 called “San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura” (Saint Lawrence Outside-the-Walls) though his head is kept in the Quirinal Chapel of the Vatican. It is taken out for veneration for several days before and after his Feast Day on 10 August. This Church is one of the seven principal Churches of Rome and he is highly venerated in the Roman and in the Orthodox Churches.

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