Santa Maria di Gesù is a parish church in Caltagirone, tied to the Observant Franciscans: it arose through the efforts of Blessed Matteo d'Agrigento, and beside it is the former convent, with a frescoed courtyard. Around this convent, from the seventeenth century, the noble families of Caltagirone built their country villas. Damaged by the earthquake of 1693, the church was rebuilt with a new bell tower, whose dome is covered in coloured majolica tiles. Convent and church were suppressed at the end of the nineteenth century; the friars were able to return in 1939.
What to see
The interior was frescoed by Bernardino Bongiovanni with figures of Franciscan saints. On one of the side altars is the Madonna della Catena with the Child, by Antonello Gagini, of 1538.
The high altarpiece, by Francesco Vaccaro, of 1847, shows Saint Francis giving the rule to Saint Clare; another altarpiece is a Nativity by Antonio Balistreri.
Visiting
Opening and Mass times should be checked with the parish.
Our editors' tip
On the same street is Villa Patti, the Neo-Gothic villa owned by the municipality with the museum of historic villas: anyone coming this far can see the church and the park together. Several Franciscan friars who died in the odour of sanctity are buried in the church.
