Church of the Holy Family (Alcamo)
| Church of the Holy Family | |
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The façade of the church of the Holy Family
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Alcamo, province of Trapani, Italy |
| Geographic coordinates | 37°58′48″N 12°57′54″E / 37.97997°N 12.96505°ECoordinates: 37°58′48″N 12°57′54″E / 37.97997°N 12.96505°E |
| Affiliation | Catholic |
| Territory | Alcamo |
| State | Italy |
| Province | province of Trapani |
| Region | Sicily |
| Country | Italy |
| Patron | dedicated to the Holy Family |
| Architectural description | |
| Founder | Father Vincenzo Abbati |
| Groundbreaking | 17th century |
The Church of the Holy Family (called also chiesa di San Giuseppe or Mezzana or Culliggeddu because of its small dimensions) is a religious building in Alcamo, Sicily, southern Italy; it is located on the ground floor of the Ex Jesuits' College.
The church was built thanks to Father Vincenzo Abbati, who died in 1654. After his death, his body was first buried in the church of Stellario and later was moved inside the church of Jesus, after its completion.
In this church, on 25 April 1745, the male Congregation of Madonna del Lume (named after middle-class people, that is "little land owners"), was formed. According to the chronicles of the time, the members met every Sunday evening, and the congregation was abolished on 28 July 1770 by a royal decree.
The church was run by the Society of Jesus until their expulsion in 1860. Later (more precisely since 1866) the administration of the church passed to the Congregation of the Holy Family, which had been founded inside the Ex Jesuits' College on 15 November 1824 by Father Domenico Maria Lo Jacono, who was its director and catechist. Probably, after the Jesuits' expulsion, the congregation of Madonna del Lume moved into the church of Santa Maria del Soccorso.
In 1901 they founded the female congregation of Madonna del Lume (Madonna of Light), that moved into a chapel inside the chiesa madre in 1942. On the altar there is a painting dedicated to Madonna del Lume painted by Giuseppe Renda. In Alcamo the feast of Madonna del Lume was celebrated on the fifth Sunday after each Easter; two weeks after the festivity of Patrocinio.
In 1947 monsignor Giuseppe Barone was appointed as its Rector and under his leadership the church was modernized.
The Church was closed in 1968, owing to the damages suffered during 1968 Belice earthquake; it was later restored and cleaned, thanks to the financing by Nicolò Cassarà, before being fully reopened.
The church has a single navy with three altars: the high altar (in white marble and adorned by red stucco columns) and two side altars, in polychromatic marble, realized and inaugurated in 1937.
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