Santa Maria del Soccorso, Livorno

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Santa Maria del Soccorso Church

Santa Maria del Soccorso (Our Lady of the Rescue) is a Neoclassical style, Roman Catholic, Marian votive church in central Livorno. The tall brick church facade is located scenically at the end of Via Magenta, and has a park surrounding it. In front is a Monument to Fallen Soldiers (Caduti) in the first World War.

History[]

The church was built and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, in gratitude for the ebbing of a plague of cholera in 1835. The design was by and construction began in 1836. The sober stone facade has flanking pilasters, and sports a clock in the tympanum (architecture) originating from the Cathedral. The interior has a Latin cross layout with seven arches flanking the nave, and bears a resemblance to the interior of the church of Santo Spirito in Florence. The earthquake of 1846 caused some damage. The church was consecrated as a parish church in 1855-1856. The church served as the main church of Livorno while the bomb-damaged duomo was rebuilt after World War II.

The second altar on the right has a painting by Enrico Pollastrini, depicting the protomartyr St Lawrence in a catacomb dispensing Charity with the martyr St Espedito. Count Francesco De Larderei commissioned the next altarpiece depicting St Francis of Assisi resurrecting a child in the hands of her mother, painted by . The next altarpiece depicts St Peter Apostle by Giuseppe Baldini, commissioned by .

Another chapel to the right of the nave houses a Jesus resurrects the son of the widow of Naim, an early work of Pollastrini. On the altar of the crossing is a tabernacle by , with an image of the Madonna del Soccorso. In the sacristy is a canvas by Giovanni Bartolena, depicting the foundation of the church. The chapel also housed a small image of the Addolorata, and the Resurrection, painted on wood, from a follower of Giotto, donated by Silvestro Silvestri. The church had an chiaroscuro altarpiece depicting a The Rescuing Madonna sends an angelic ambassador of health to the poor afflicted with cholera by .

On the right of the altar is a canvas by Giovanni Costa, depicting the Translation of the body of St Catherine of Alexandria by Angels to Mount Sinai and by a follower of Cigoli is a St Francis of Assisi. The altar of St Louis Gonzaga, has canvas by , a pupil of Mussini. The guild of Fishmongers of Livorno in 1867 erected the altar of St Raphael Archangel with a canvas by Giovanni Bartolena. Cavaliere Niccola Niccolai Gamba funded the next chapel's altar, and commissioned a Madonna of the Consolation also by Bartolena. The last altar, commissioned by the Gazzarrini family holds a depiction of St Vincent of Paul by Guardassoni.^[1]

References[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Maria del Soccorso (Livorno).

Coordinates: 43°32′44″N 10°18′59″E / 43.5456°N 10.3165°E / 43.5456; 10.3165