Wikipedia

Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Giovinazzo)

The cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is the cathedral of Giovinazzo and a co-cathedral of the diocese of Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi.

Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
View of the co-cathedral and the ancient area from the port of Giovinazzo.
Map
41°11′22″N 16°40′24″E / 41.18944°N 16.67333°E / 41.18944; 16.67333
LocationGiovinazzo, Apulia
AddressVia Marco Polo, Giovinazzo
CountryItaly
DenominationCatholic
History
Consecrated23 May 1283
Architecture
Years built1125–1180
Administration
DioceseMolfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi

It is an Italian national monument.

Interior of the cathedral.

History

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The current cathedral, which stands on the site of an older building, called by the sources Santa Maria de Episcopio, was built during the 12th century in the Norman age, dating back to between 1125 (beginning of the construction of the crypt) and 1180 (completion of the upper church). The building was consecrated only a century later, on 23 May 1283. The Romanesque cathedral had three naves divided by columns, with a trussed ceiling, false galleries and a mosaic floor. Few traces remain of this church today, due to the renovation works on the building during the eighteenth century (between 1730 and 1752 under bishop Paolo de Mercuzo), which led to the total renovation of the interiors according to the baroque taste: they belong to the ancient Romanesque church the rear façade, closed between two bell towers (of which the smallest, however, is from the seventeenth century), part of the presbytery area and the crypt.

Other events

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On 6 January 2025, the bishop of the diocese H.E. Monsignor Domenico Cornacchia presided over the mass and opened the holy door of the Co-Cathedral.[1][2]

Description

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Inside, the church has three naves divided by pillars, with a large transept, three side chapels on each side, and a large main altar. The apse is completely covered with canvases by the Giovinazzo painter Carlo Rosa from 1676, which depict Maria Assunta and other saints. In the right arm of the transept and in the presbytery area, during the restoration work of the 1990s, traces of mosaics from the ancient Romanesque flooring of the cathedral were brought to light, dating back to the end of the 12th century.

The altars of the side chapels are dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Blessed Nicola Pagla, the Crucifix, Santa Maria di Loreto and San Francesco Saverio. The most important is the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, built in 1768 by Gennaro Sammartino and Crescenzo Tronchese. Of particular historical-artistic value are two panels: one from the thirteenth century, of Byzantine workmanship, depicting the Madonna of Corsignano; and the other fifteenth-century one depicting the Redeemer.

 
Terragna marble tombstone, bearing the recumbent figure in relief of the knight armed with shields depicting the noble arm of the House with an epigraph, sculpted by the noble captain Enrico Zurolo, which is preserved in the co-cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Giovinazzo (BA).

Tombstones

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From the left nave you go down into the crypt, the oldest part of the cathedral. It is made up of 10 bare columns and 12 pillars protruding from the perimeter walls. Tombstones are present in the walls and floor; among these that of the young Antonio Sindolfi of 1386.

There is also a tomb of a knight, one Enrico Zurolo, belonging to the noble Zurolo family of the same name. On the Terragna tombstone we read: D.O.M. | HENRICO ZVRVLO FORMER CAPYTIORVM PARTENOPEA | FAMILIA QUEM PRAETER | NOBILISSISSI GENERIS VETVSTATEM FIDES | COSTANTIA VITA INTEGRITAS DECORARVNT | NI. ANT. I.V.D. ET ABBAS HIERON | FILII PIESS PATRI OPT. PP. MDXLII VIX AN. LXIII | VSQUE AD DIEM NOVISSIMVM.[3]

Restorations

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On 24 July 2022, the chapel of the crucifix was reopened to the public after a Eucharistic celebration and the works of art were also relocated to their main places in the minor altar.[4]

From February 2023 until mid-June 2024, important restoration works on the attic of the co-cathedral were initiated, using the 8 x 1000 funds intended for the Roman Catholic Church.[5]

Bibliography

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Historical sources

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  • Raffaella Cassano; Sergio Leonardi (2001). Cosimo Damiano Fonseca (ed.). Cattedrali di Puglia, una storia lunga duemila anni [Cathedrals of Puglia, a two thousand year history] (in Italian). Illustrators: Nicola Amato, Sergio Leonardi. Bari (BA): M. Adda. ISBN 9788880824336. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  • Ezio De Cillis (1989). La cattedrale di Giovinazzo. Restauri e rinvenimenti, in Cultura e società in Puglia in età sveva e angioina [The cathedral of Giovinazzo. Restorations and discoveries, in Culture and society in Puglia in the Swabian and Angevin ages] (in Italian). Bitonto (BA): F. Moretti. pp. 327–364. Retrieved January 4, 2025.327-364&rft.pub=F. Moretti&rft.date=1989&rft.au=Ezio De Cillis&rft_id=https://books.google.it/books/about/La_cattedrale_di_Giovinazzo_restauri_e_r.html?id=XS3EtgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Giovinazzo)" class="Z3988">
  • Gennaro Zurolo (2017). "THE ZUROLOS, Simplified ascending family line". La Città nobile di Giovinazzo e Frà Giovanni Capece Zurlo seu Zurolo, Ammiraglio e Balì dei Cavalieri di Malta nel XVII secolo (alla luce di documenti inediti) [The noble city of Giovinazzo and Frà Giovanni Capece Zurlo seu Zurolo, Admiral and Bailiff of the Knights of Malta in the 17th century (in the light of unpublished documents)] (in Italian). Rome (RM). pp. 30 and 144.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Gennaro Zurolo (2024). "IV". Casa Zurolo. Origini e sviluppo di una famiglia feudale dell'Italia meridionale [Zurolo House. Origins and development of a feudal family from Southern Italy] (in Italian). p. 114.
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Maria Assunta (Giovinazzo) - Interior.

Notes

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  1. ^ Staff of GIOVINAZZO LIVE .IT (December 28, 2024). "La Concattedrale di Giovinazzo è chiesa giubilare" [The Co-Cathedral of Giovinazzo is a jubilee church]. GIOVINAZZO LIVE .IT (in Italian). The Co-Cathedral of Giovinazzo has been designated a Jubilee church and is among the 80 Apulian churches indicated as such for the 2025 Jubilee, launched last December 24 by Pope Francis with the opening of the Holy Door. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  2. ^ Gianluca Battista (January 6, 2025). "Celebrazione solenne ed apertura porta di Monsignor Domenico Cornacchia" [Solemn celebration and opening of the door by Monsignor Domenico Cornacchia]. GIOVINAZZO viva (in Italian). Today, January 6, the Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Giovinazzo will host the rite of the opening of the Holy Door and the solemn celebration of the start of the Jubilee journey officiated by the bishop, H.E. Monsignor Domenico Cornacchia. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  3. ^ Gennaro Zurolo (2017). "Linea genealogica aascendentale semplificata" [Simplified ascending family line]. La Città nobile di Giovinazzo e Frà Giovanni Capece Zurlo seu Zurolo, Ammiraglio e Balì dei Cavalieri di Malta nel XVII secolo (alla luce di documenti inediti) [The noble city of Giovinazzo and Frà Giovanni Capece Zurlo seu Zurolo, Admiral and Bailiff of the Knights of Malta in the 17th century (in the light of unpublished documents)] (in Italian). Rome (RM). pp. 30 and 144.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ Staff of sir Agezia d'informazione (July 23, 2022). "Diocesi: Molfetta, torna visibile l'altare del Crocifisso nella Concattedrale di Giovinazzo" [Diocese: Molfetta, the altar of the Crucifix becomes visible again in the Co-Cathedral of Giovinazzo]. sir Agezia d'informazione (in Italian). For a few days, with the dismantling of the scaffolding which allowed the relocation of the restored works, it has been possible to admire the Chapel of the Crucifix of the co-cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Giovinazzo in its newfound beauty. This was announced by the parish priest Don Andrea Azzollini who has scheduled a Eucharistic celebration of thanksgiving for tomorrow, Sunday 24 July, at 7pm. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  5. ^ Gianluca Battista (February 23, 2023). "Lavori di restauro al sottotetto della Concattedrale di Giovinazzo" [Restoration work on the attic of the Concathedral of Giovinazzo]. GIOVINAZZO viva (in Italian). Restoration work on the attic of the Concathedral of Santa Maria Assunta has been underway for a few days. The scaffolding effectively blocked the usual entrance from Piazza Duomo and only the one from Via Marina was left open to the faithful for safety reasons. The complete restoration will be made possible thanks to the 8 x 1000 to the Catholic Church... Retrieved January 11, 2025.
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Official

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Other

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