Church of St. Joseph of the Theatines
Guide
The Clerics Regular called "Theatines"
The Regular Clerics of the Theatine Order arrived in Palermo in 1602, settling in the house annexed to the Church of Santa Maria della Catena. They later obtained the ancient church of Sant’Elia, near Piazza Pretoria, which was demolished together with many surrounding buildings in order to build the monumental Church of San Giuseppe, designed by the Theatine architect Giacomo Besio from Savona. The first stone was laid in 1612 and it was completed in 1645; on May 23th, 1677, the church was solemnly consecrated. During the following century, working on the decorative elements went on.
In 1943, the bombings of the Second World War caused damage to a part of the central nave, which was later rebuilt. The marks of the bombings are still visible on some of the columns of the central nave, which show evident scars.
The facade
The facade projects outward between the concave corner of Piazza Vigliena’s southern side and the opposite corner. In the first order, within a hollow set between pilasters and an architrave, stands the statue of Saint Joseph, an articraft by Baldassarre Pampillonia dated 1738. At the ground of the hollow is the emblem of the Carpenters’ Guild, depicting a crowned axe. On the right corner, usually known as “the fifth corner,” there is another entrance, preceded by sharp steps, where you can see the statues of Saint Gaetano of Thiene and Saint Andrea Avellino on the second and third order.
The interior
At the entrance of the church, one can admire two majestic marble holy water fonts supported by angels, articrafts by Ignazio Marabitti and his pupil Federico Siracusa, symmetrically embedded into the inner wall of the counter-facade.
On the left, on the wall, stands the marble statue of Our Lady of the Oreto, handcarved by Domenico Gagini at the end of the 15th century. This sculpture, originally venerated in the monastery with the same name located near the Corleone Bridge (now in ruins), is one of the oldest artworks preserved in the church.
The counter-façade is crowned by the choir loft, which houses a monumental organ built between the 1960s and 1970s. On both sides, at the corner ends, there are two Baroque organs originally from the Church of the Jesuit Collegio Massimo, completing the church’s rich musical decoration.
At the entrance of the church, one can admire two majestic marble holy water fonts supported by angels, articrafts by Ignazio Marabitti and his pupil Federico Siracusa, symmetrically embedded into the inner wall of the counter-facade.
On the left, on the wall, stands the marble statue of Our Lady of the Oreto, handcarved by Domenico Gagini at the end of the 15th century. This sculpture, originally venerated in the monastery with the same name located near the Corleone Bridge (now in ruins), is one of the oldest artworks preserved in the church.
The counter-façade is crowned by the choir loft, which houses a monumental organ built between the 1960s and 1970s. On both sides, at the corner ends, there are two Baroque organs originally from the Church of the Jesuit Collegio Massimo, completing the church’s rich musical decoration.
The interior of the church, with a basilica plan and a Latin cross layout, is divided into three naves supported by monumental monolithic columns made of Billiemi stone. The vault was frescoed by Filippo Tancredi, commissioned by Rector Gaetano Castillo on November 14th, 1687, and completed in 1693. The frescoes depict episodes from the life of Saint Gaetano, founder of the Regular Clerics known as the Theatines, whose charism is linked to charity toward the sick and the defense of Christian faith. The scenes portray the defeat of sin, the glorification of the Order, and the Theatine Saints at the presence of the Trinity.
The stucco decorations, with angels, cherubs and ornamental patterns were created by Paolo Corso and Giuseppe Musso from designs by Paolo Amato. The original ceiling suffered severe damage during World War II in 1943: only the section near the entrance survived, which still shows Tancredi’s signature. The reconstruction was possible thanks to the photographic documentation by Nicola Arduino.
The frescoes of the presbytery are the work of painters Andrea Carrera and Giacinto Clandrucci (17th century), whereas those of the dome, representing the Glory and Triumph of the Saints and Blessed of the Order, are by the Flemish artist Guglielmo Borremans (1724). The decoration of the nave was completed nearly at the end of the eighteenth century with the arches’ sails representing the twelve apostles, made by Giuseppe Velasques and completed by Vincenzo Manno.
Among the furniture stands out the pulpit, located by the fourth column on the left side of the central nave: it is made of carved walnut wood and surmounted by the allegory of Faith, flanked by gilded wooden cherubs.
- Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Purity
- Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Trapani
- Chapel dedicated to Saint Andrew Avellino
- Monumental Sacristy
- Chapel of the Crucifix
- Presbytery and main altar
- Chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph (titular saint of the church)
- Chapel dedicated to Saint Gaetano Thiene (founder of the order)
- Chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph Maria Tomasi
- Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Providence
- Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii
- Chapel dedicated to Blessed Giovanni Marinoni
1 - CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF PURITY
The chapel, richly decorated with polychrome marbles, was built in 1681 out of devotion by Father Giuseppe Cicala, Archbishop of Messina. Inside it is placed the copy of the painting of Our Lady of Purity, whose original work, by Luis de Morales, is kept in the Church of San Paolo Maggiore in Naples. This painting arrived in Naples in 1641, donated by Father Diego di Bernardo y Mendoza.
The Our Lady of Purity was proclaimed patroness of the Theatines in 1647, which established the obligation for every church of the Order to dedicate a chapel to her containing a reproduction of this image.
2 - CHAPEL OF THE MADONNA OF TRAPANI
In 1623, the provost of the Theatine House of Palermo, Andrea Filangeri, granted the patronage of the chapel to Fabrizio Gravina. Inside it stands the statue of Our Lady of Trapani, a sixteenth-century copy of the famous sculpture, made in 1659 by the sculptor Carlo D’Aprile. The sculptural decorations of the chapel were made by Gaspare Guercio and Bartolomeo Tagliavia, while the coats of arms on the pillars belong to the Gravina Platamone family. The statue is surrounded by a sumptuous frame of polychrome marbles, typical of Sicilian Baroque art.
3 - CHAPEL OF ST. ANDREW AVELLINO
The right transept houses the sumptuous marble altar dedicated to Saint Andrea Avellino, granted to Don Giuseppe Napoli, president of the Royal Treasury, who significantly contributed to the church’s expenses. The altar features a marble frontal depicting the apparition of the Virgin to Saint Andrea Avellino, created by Federico Siracusa in 1800, while the predella contains a bas-relief with musician cherubs sculpted by Ignazio Marabitti at the end of the 18th century.
The altar, painted by the Roman artist Sebastiano Conca in 1736, depicts the death of Saint Andrew Avellino, struck by a stroke after uttering the words “Introibo ad Altare Dei” (“I will go to the altar of God”), an episode also reported in hagiographic tradition.
The vault frescoes are the articraft of Filippo Tancredi and depict, at the center, the glorification of the saint, crowned by Christ and the Virgin and flanked by Saints Peter and Paul. On both sides, scenes illustrate episodes from the night journey of Saint Andrew, during which the saint, illuminated by a miraculous light, was not touched by the rain along with his companions.
On the right wall of the transept, in a niche, there is a papier-mâché sculptural group from Lecce dating to the late 19th century, depicting the passing of Saint Joseph, with the Virgin and Jesus kissing the forehead of the dying father, made with intense realism.
4 - MONUMENTAL SACRISTY
From the right side of the Chapel of the Holy Cross one can access the monumental Sacristy, built before 1739 and now used as an exhibition hall of the precious coral and silk frontals and the furnishings belonging to the treasure of the Church of Saint Joseph.
Once also used as a private chapel, it features an altar with an altarpiece depicting Saint Gregory the Great before the Virgin and Christ. The vault, frescoed by Francesco Martorana in 1759, represents the Trinity in Glory with Saint Gregory the Great and the allegories of the virtues of Justice and Charity.
The stucco decorations, dating from the first half of the 18th century, include twelve medallions with portraits of the venerable Theatine fathers of Palermo, made by Procopio Serpotta, son of the famous Giacomo. Above the door is an elegant stucco clock, an allegory of time, which is still perfectly working today.
The walnut wood cabinets, carved by the friar Giuseppe D’Asta (18th century), once housed the sacred vestments. The frontals, made between the 17th and 18th centuries, are works of great value: woven in silk and enriched with filigree, silver, coral from Trapani and red garnet, they were masterfully crafted by artisans from Messina. They were displayed during Lent, while one particularly ornate piece was reserved for Easter Day.
5 - CHAPEL OF THE CROSS
In the Chapel of the Most Holy Cross, once under the patronage of the Marziani family, a wooden cross from the late 17th century, attributed to the school of Frate Umile da Petralia, is venerated. The sculpture is placed on a baroque wooden reliquary, which houses the relics of the martyrs, symbolizing the connection between Christ’s sacrifice and the testimony of the saints who shed their blood for the faith.
On the lateral walls, there are two 17th-century paintings showing Christ at the Column and Christ and Veronica, flanked by marble reliefs created by Ignazio Marabitti, representing Veronica and the Rooster, recalling episodes of the Passion. The central theme of the chapel is entirely dedicated to the Passion of Christ, as highlighted by the frescoes on the ceiling, which depict similar scenes.
There are also other paintings depicting the Crowning with Thorns, the Agony in the Garden of Olives, and the Lamentation over the Deposed Christ, completing the iconographic cycle of the sacred drama.
6 - PRESBYTERY AND MAIN ALTAR
Beyond the marble balustrade, one enters the chancel, where the majestic Baroque high altar stands, embellished with hard stones and bronze decorations. The candleholders and the vases placed on the side shelves are also made of bronze, as is the precious pall. Originally, the altar was topped with an ivory cross, which only the agate and bronze cross remains today.
The “versus populum”(people oriented) altar table features a magnificent silver pall, finely crafted in repoussé, originating from the Underground Sanctuary of Our Lady of Providence. The chancel is adorned with stuccoes and paintings by Filippo Tancredi, while the frescoes of the apse are the work of the Trapani artist Andrea Carrera and Giacinto Calandrucci, framed by scenographic stucco decorations by Domenico Castelli. Behind the altar is the wooden choir in walnut wood, for the divine office of the Theatine Fathers.
The decoration of the apse vault began in 1671 by the painters Andrea Carrera and Giacinto Calandrucci. The frescoes depict Christ between Saints Peter and Paul appearing to Saint Gaetano and the Fathers of the Church, as well as the Resurrected Christ between the Virgin and Saint Joseph. Laterally, the Marriage of the Virgin, the Assumption of Saint Joseph, and the Coronation of the Virgin are painted. A restoration was made over by Guglielmo Borremans in 1741. On the lateral walls, there are three monumental marble reliefs with puttis holding Eucharistic symbols, created by Ignazio Marabitti and Pennino.
The frescoes of the dome, by Guglielmo Borremans, show the Heaven and the fall of the rebellious angels, while the pendentives feature the four evangelists.
7 - CHAPEL OF ST. JOSEPH
In the left apse of the chancel, “in cornu Evangelii”, there is the altar dedicated to Saint Joseph, erected as a sign of gratitude by the Brotherhood of Carpenters, whom is dedicated to. Inside the niche is a 16th-century wooden sculpture depicting Saint Joseph with Christ Child, originally housed in the oratory of the Carpenters and moved to this church in a solemn procession on December 16th, 1633.
On the lateral walls of the altar, there are two high-relief marble works from the second half of the 18th century, by Filippo Pennino: on the left is painted The Holy Family in the workshop, with Joseph at work as a carpenter, Mary sewing, and Jesus playing with the Cross; on the right is shown the Dream of Saint Joseph. These same subjects are also portrayed in the frescoes on the upper walls, creating a coherent iconographic cycle.
8 - CHAPEL OF ST. CAETANO OF THIENE
In the left transept, there is a sumptuous Baroque altar with red marble columns, inlays of agate, marble and hard stones, which frames the splendid canvas depicting the glory of Saint Gaetano of Thiene by the painter Pietro Novelli from Monreale, dated around 1640. The work shows the saint in ecstasy and was probably made on the occasion of his beatification (1624); the painting has undergone two restorations since.
The frescoes on the vault, executed by Filippo Tancredi, depict the allegorical scene of Truth crowning Saint Gaetano, surrounded by the prophets and the founders of other religious orders. On the lateral arches, scenes from the childhood and youth of Saint Gaetano are illustrated, including miraculous episodes, such as the one where a bundle of food meant for the poor turned into flowers.
On the left wall, in a niche, is venerated a devotional statue of Baby Jesus of Saint Gaetano, related to the vision in which, during his first Mass, the Virgin handed the Child to the saint. This altar was once the burial place of the Ventimiglia and Corvino families.
9 - CHAPEL OF ST. JOSEPH MARIA TOMASI
The chapel, under the patronage of the Tomasi family, Princes of Lampedusa, was decorated in 1745 at the initiative of Prince Ferdinando Tomasi. On the altar is a painting attributed to Antonio Manno (late 18th – early 19th century), showing the Virgin and Child with Saint Joseph Maria Tomasi, a Theatine priest from this family, canonized in 1986.
The same saint, during his stay in Palermo, commissioned the creation of the painting of Saint Rosalia, now located on the left wall of the chapel. On the right wall, there was originally a painting of the Archangel Michael, now replaced by a canvas of the Virgin of Sorrows.
The ceiling was frescoed by Nicola Arduino and portrays, at its center, the Blessed Joseph Maria Tomasi in glory, flanked by Saints Joachim and Anne.
Another testimony of Theatine devotion can be found at the entrance on Via Maqueda, where a mural painting from the first half of the 18th century shows Saint Gaetano pointing to birds while holding a book inscribed with: “Respicite volatilia coeli, considerate lilia” (“Look at the birds of the air, consider the lilies”), a Gospel passage (Mt 6:26–28) inviting trust in divine providence.
10 - CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF PROVIDENCE
Once dedicated to Saint Irene, the chapel today houses the highly venerated painting of Our Lady of Providence, with the Golden Book at her feet, moved upstairs from the hypogean sanctuary. On either side of the altar are two contemporary paintings: on the right, Father Francesco Maggio C.R. discovering the miraculous spring beneath the altar; on the left, Saint Joseph presenting the painting of the Virgin to the lay brother Vincenzo Scarpato, a work by Rodolfo Papa(1964).
According to tradition, it was the same Brother Vincenzo Scarpato, who had reluctantly come to Palermo from Naples because of his deep devotion to Our Lady of the Arch, who miraculously received the painting: in 1610, while returning home, a mysterious man handed him a rolled canvas with the image of the Virgin. When Scarpato tried to thank him, the man had already disappeared, and it is said that he was none other than Saint Joseph.
The devotion to the painting became so strong that in 1644 the transformation of the crypt into a sanctuary began, destined to the Congregation of the Sciabica. After Scarpato’s death, his spiritual legacy was taken up by Father Francesco Maggio, who gave the sacred image the title of “Our Lady of Providence” and established the liturgical feast on the second Sunday after Epiphany, a date still celebrated today.
An extraordinary event occurred on January 7th, 1668, when beneath the altar a miraculous spring was discovered, still existing and drinkable today, to which numerous miracles have been attributed. The echo of these events led, on June 23th, 1685, to the proclamation of Our Lady of Providence as Patroness of Palermo by the Procurator General Bartolomeo del Castillo. This devotion was later solemnly recognized by the Universal Church with the canonical coronation on July 19th, 1734.
The chapel is adorned with frescoes by Nicola Arduino, depicting Saint Pius X, and preserves memories of faith and miracles that still today bind the city indissolubly to its heavenly patroness.
11 - CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY OF POMPEII
The marble decoration of the chapel was completed in 1736 thanks to the testamentary bequest of Baroness Lazzari Miccichè del Conforto. The altar today houses a modern depiction of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei (20th century), while on the side walls can be admired two 18th-century marble reliefs illustrating miraculous episodes related to Theatine saints.
The vault is adorned with frescoes attributed to Nicola Arduino, depicting the scenes of the Annunciation, Christ comforted by Veronica, and the Assumption of the Virgin, which give the chapel a strong devotional and artistic intensity.
12 - CHAPEL OF BLESSED GIOVANNI MARINONI
Originally dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God, the chapel was renovated in 1741 by Carlo Filippo Cottone, Prince of Castelnuovo, who commissioned the Messina icon of the Madonna della Lettera, placed on the right wall and probably originating from the church of the same name once located in the alley opposite San Giuseppe.
The altar houses a late Baroque altarpiece from the 18th century, attributed to Gaspare Serenario, depicting the Blessed Giovanni Marinoni in the presence of the Virgin. The same scene is also reproduced in the lower left part of the chapel, attesting to the special devotion to the Theatine saint.
The vault is decorated with frescoes by Nicola Arduino (1953), depicting the Virgin in Glory, the Nativity of Christ, and the Holy Family, enriching the environment with spiritual intensity.
Hypogeum Church - Sanctuary of Our Lady of Providence
On the church’s parvis, two Baroque portals lead to the Hypogean Sanctuary of Our Lady of Providence, a place of worship established in the early 17th century. Tradition tells that the Theatine friar Vincenzo Scarpato, who had come from Naples and was deeply devoted to Our Lady of the Arch, ardently wished to possess an image of her to be venerated. One day, a mysterious old man knocked at the Fathers’ house and handed him a package, saying: “Take this, Brother Vincenzo — a painting you will surely love. Keep and guard it with respect and devotion; it will grant many graces, and many will come to visit it, even from afar.” The man quickly disappeared, leaving the friar astonished; when he unrolled the package, he found precisely the image he had longed for. Tradition holds that it was Saint Joseph himself who had delivered it.
The devotion spread rapidly: in 1609, the Theatine priest Father Salvatore Ferrari founded the Confraternity of the Servants or Slaves of Mary, known as the “Sciabica”, which welcomed people from all walks of life—just like the fishing net of the same name, capable of gathering fish of every kind. The image of the Madonna was placed in the crypt, which soon became a sanctuary frequented by many devotees.
A miraculous event marked the history of the site: on January 7th, 1668, the Theatine Father Francesco Maria Maggio discovered a spring of water beneath the altar of the Madonna, blessed by the Fathers on January 15th of the same year. Considered miraculous, it still flows today and is accessible through a small fountain located in the third chapel of the left nave.
The crypt, initially a simple underground space, was expanded in 1644 to reach the same size as the upper church, though with less vertical height. Divided into three naves by massive pillars, it houses several side altars and, at the far end, the main altar covered in silver, which contains a copy of the venerated painting of the Madonna (the original is now in the third chapel on the right of the upper church). In the right transept stood the original altar, adorned with a fresco by Pietro Novelli, later covered between 1855 and 1857 by new decorations painted by Mr, Patricolo.
The devotion to Our Lady of Providence reached great fervor: in 1734, the image was crowned with gilded silver crowns by the Vatican Chapter. Every morning, Holy Mass is celebrated in the sanctuary, while on Wednesdays—the day dedicated to the Madonna—the faithful Christians gather in great numbers to ask for graces. The main feast is celebrated on the Sunday following Epiphany; on this occasion, and again on the following Wednesday, the Golden Book is placed at the foot of the icon, containing the names of the living and deceased faithfuls entrusted to the Virgin’s protection, who are remembered weekly during the votive Mass.
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