Church of the saint Guardian Angel
| Church of the Saint Guardian Angel | |
|---|---|
The façade
|
|
| Basic information | |
| Location | Alcamo, province of Trapani, Italy |
| Geographic coordinates | 37°58′52″N 12°58′00″E / 37.98100°N 12.96674°ECoordinates: 37°58′52″N 12°58′00″E / 37.98100°N 12.96674°E |
| Affiliation | Benedictine |
| Rite | Catholic |
| Municipality | Alcamo |
| Territory | Alcamo |
| State | Italy |
| Province | Trapani |
| Region | Sicily |
| Country | Italy |
| Patron | saint Guardian Angel |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Giovan Biagio Amico |
| Architectural type | baroque |
| Founder | Francesco Lazio |
| Groundbreaking | 1659 |
The Church of the Guardian Angel (or the Sheltered Women, from the name of the women's detention home once inside the nunnery) is a Catholic Church located in Alcamo in the province of Trapani, Sicily, southern Italy.
The Church is with one nave, was built in 1659 in Baroque style, with the adjoining “Convent boarding school for sheltered women” built in 1684. It was enlarged and embellished in the 18th century by the architect Giovanni Biagio Amico, and restored again in the 19th century. The structure of the building has been bettered in the last years, in order to render it more suitable for modern requirements.
On 24th April 1647, the four municipal administrators founded a House for the Repented or Sheltered Women ("converted sinners"), in order to avoid sins and the devil's temptations. This institution was called "House of the Sisters of Penance" and they had to live thanks to people's alms and following the rules of the bishop of Mazara del Vallo; they were forced to undergo penance practices and severe body corporal punishments.
In 1659 Francesco Lazio, a priest, left his patrimony to a "Church of the Saint Guardian Angel" which was to be built with the adjoining House of the Sisters of Penance: these women had to follow the Rule of Santa Francesca Romana.
In 1774 there were ten women living there, coming from the provinces of Trapani, Palermo and Messina, later they were fifteen. Further to the new dispositions about religious institutions, since 1820, the building received only “religious women” belonging to the Benedictine Order and orphans too. As it was a moral institution in 1880, its goods were not confiscated by the State property.
...
Wikipedia