Saint Gregory the Illuminator (or Saint Gregory the Enlightener) is the national saint and patron of Armenia. The Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew introduced Christianity into the country in the early 1st century, but Gregory was the first head of the Church.In 301 AD, Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion.
The church of “San Gregorio Illuminatore” was built in 1716 for the prosperous Armenian community of Livorno by the architect Giovanni Del Fantasia on a project by Ferdinando de' Medici, the Grand Prince of Tuscany.
Damaged but not destroyed during the last war, the main body of church was demolished leaving only a small oratory and a portico in front of the facade.See also: Half a Church
Thank you for this post VP. Very nice!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post and that first image is so detailed. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteThat's where my mother got my middle name from. I love the B&W photo.
ReplyDeleteGreat detail in the first photo. I didn't realize Armenia was the first to adopt Christianity as its national religion. I think that's interesting!
ReplyDeletethank you for teaching me something I did not know before. may time and life treat this building kind. please have a good new week.
ReplyDeleteAnother very informative post, VP. The statue of Saint Gregory is wonderful. It is fortunate that it was repairable after the damage shown in the last photograph.
ReplyDeleteA well done post. Thank you for all three photos.
ReplyDeleteLearning new things about Livorno almost everytime I come to your site...bravo for the artisans who rebuilt the church after WWII. If there'd been no last photo, I'd have never known it didn't always look as it does in your first two excellent photos!
ReplyDeleteCiao!
Patron Saint of Armenia---interesting post. At least some of the church was saved and restored. MB
ReplyDeleteI should be used to them by now, but each of your war photos comes as a shock.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this enlightening post.
I had no clue about Armenia. And what a beautiful church front.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the two pictures, how nice that it's restored, the church has a lovely detail in the entrance, beautiful sculpture!
ReplyDeleteAnd I like those vases as well!
Léia
You are full of surprises, VP! I didn't know you used to have an Armenian community in Livorno. We also had one in Bucharest. I like Armenian churches and I visit the Cathedral in Etchmiadzin, in former Soviet Union.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the 'enlightening'.
ReplyDeleteWars take their toll with humans as well as architectural treasure. Love the top photo, especially the Bishop's mitre shown with great clarity ad detail.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful church. We have Armenian church in Gliwice, but it's smaller and simpler!
ReplyDeleteNon sembra una chiesa, è un'architettura molto bella! Ciao, Arianna
ReplyDeleteNews to me too, about Armenia being the first to adopt Christianity. Fortunate the front of this mainly demolished church was reparable. A lovely facade. Migration has been a human activity since the beginning, hasn't it.
ReplyDeleteI really like the detail shot on top. Just great.
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