https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/modena-si-mostra-church-of-st-francesco--7084812enArtsCopyright eArshttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/398d069fea37d1f875a2ce857875c28d.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/modena-si-mostra-church-of-st-francesco--7084812Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:59:37 +0000eArseArsfeeds@spreaker.comfalseserialhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/introduction--72363576The Friars Minor, later called Franciscans, were founded by St Francis in the early 13th century and soon also spread to Modena thanks to the efforts of Blessed Gherardo Boccabadati, a follower of the saint from Assisi. The church of the order was built here, where it still stands today, starting in 1244.The friars remained at San Francesco until 1774, when the reorganisation of the city's parishes forced them to move elsewhere.
A few years later, in 1798, the French, the new rulers of Modena, even decided to suppress the church and use it as a warehouse. Needless to say, they had absolutely no regard for the artistic treasures it held! One example of this was an extraordinary 16th-century funeral monument, commissioned by Giacomo Belleardi from the Modenese sculptor Antonio Begarelli, of which only a few fragments now remain in the Modena Civic Museum.  In 1826, Duke Francis IV of Austria-Este commissioned the engineer Gusmano Soli to carry out a thorough restoration of the temple, which was completed in record time, taking only 17 months. The church thus returned to being a point of reference for Modenese spirituality throughout the 19th century.

Let's take a look at the church... The simple gabled façade, made entirely of brick, hints at the division into three naves. The interior immediately appears airy and solemn, furrowed by cross vaults entirely decorated in the 19th century with plant motifs and roundels depicting saints and evangelists by Carpi-born sculptor Fermo Forti. These evoke the moods of the old medieval Gothic style, which is also perfectly recognisable in the high altar. Many art treasures await you... start exploring the Church of St. Francis now!]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72363576Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:36:58 +0000eArsPax et bonum dear visitors, and welcome to the Church of San Francesco. The Friars Minor, later called Franciscans, were founded by St Francis in the early 13th century and soon also spread to Modena thanks to the efforts of Blessed Gherardo...The Friars Minor, later called Franciscans, were founded by St Francis in the early 13th century and soon also spread to Modena thanks to the efforts of Blessed Gherardo Boccabadati, a follower of the saint from Assisi. The church of the order was built here, where it still stands today, starting in 1244.The friars remained at San Francesco until 1774, when the reorganisation of the city's parishes forced them to move elsewhere.
A few years later, in 1798, the French, the new rulers of Modena, even decided to suppress the church and use it as a warehouse. Needless to say, they had absolutely no regard for the artistic treasures it held! One example of this was an extraordinary 16th-century funeral monument, commissioned by Giacomo Belleardi from the Modenese sculptor Antonio Begarelli, of which only a few fragments now remain in the Modena Civic Museum.  In 1826, Duke Francis IV of Austria-Este commissioned the engineer Gusmano Soli to carry out a thorough restoration of the temple, which was completed in record time, taking only 17 months. The church thus returned to being a point of reference for Modenese spirituality throughout the 19th century.

Let's take a look at the church... The simple gabled façade, made entirely of brick, hints at the division into three naves. The interior immediately appears airy and solemn, furrowed by cross vaults entirely decorated in the 19th century with plant motifs and roundels depicting saints and evangelists by Carpi-born sculptor Fermo Forti. These evoke the moods of the old medieval Gothic style, which is also perfectly recognisable in the high altar. Many art treasures await you... start exploring the Church of St. Francis now!]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/begarelli-s-deposition--72363577Dissolving all boundaries of time and space, the sculptor places four saints who lived in different periods and places at the outer edges of the scene, gathered to witness the sorrowful Gospel episode. They are St John the Baptist and St Jerome on the left, and St Francis and St Anthony of Padua on the right.This place is only the last stop on the long pilgrimage of this work through the city of Modena. In fact, the sculptural group was originally commissioned for the monastery of the Observants of St. Cecilia. It was then moved to the church of Santa Margherita and later to the Academy of Fine Arts. Only in 1828 did it arrive here, at San Francesco, after Luigi Righi's restoration.
In short, the work has travelled around the city over the years... like a real via crucis!.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72363577Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:38:10 +0000eArsIn the chapel next to the high altar, a grandiose mystical vision unfolds before us... it is the Deposition group, a terracotta work created around 1530 by the Modenese sculptor Antonio Begarelli. Begarelli was a particularly well-known artist in...Dissolving all boundaries of time and space, the sculptor places four saints who lived in different periods and places at the outer edges of the scene, gathered to witness the sorrowful Gospel episode. They are St John the Baptist and St Jerome on the left, and St Francis and St Anthony of Padua on the right.This place is only the last stop on the long pilgrimage of this work through the city of Modena. In fact, the sculptural group was originally commissioned for the monastery of the Observants of St. Cecilia. It was then moved to the church of Santa Margherita and later to the Academy of Fine Arts. Only in 1828 did it arrive here, at San Francesco, after Luigi Righi's restoration.
In short, the work has travelled around the city over the years... like a real via crucis!.]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-votive-monument-by-luigi-mainoni--72363575In that context, Bishop Adeodato Caleffi of Modena called on the population to intensify their prayer and works of charity. Thanks be to God - or thanks to human efforts-  the duchy was largely spared from the contagion. To commemorate this narrow escape, it was decided to commission the Emilian sculptor Luigi Mainoni to create a large votive altarpiece in marbled terracotta, inspired by a Neo-Renaissance style.In the upper part of the work, the Immaculate Virgin appears among the clouds, opening her arms wide in a gesture of welcome toward the prayers rising to her. She is fervently invoked by the patron saints of Modena, Geminiano and Omobono, intercessors for the city—an allusion further emphasised by the silhouette of the Ghirlandina Tower visible in the background below. At the centre, an angel armed with a shield and lightning bolt drives away the personification of cholera: a terrifying demonic figure with bat-like wings, visible in the bottom right corner. On the left, the scene culminates in the triumph of hope: divine light announces deliverance to the prostrate people.Let us now observe the figures around the altarpiece. The base features three children holding garlands laden with flowers and fruit, symbolising the abundance of divine grace. Just above them, the allegories of Rectitude and Constancy flank the Latin inscription commemorating the vow made by the citizens to defeat the cholera outbreak. On either side of the altarpiece stand Saints Roch and Sebastian, traditional protectors against plagues, while the pediment is crowned by the allegories of the theological virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72363575Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:40:28 +0000eArsSometimes, when a danger becomes so severe that it seems life-threatening, human solutions may no longer be enough. In these cases, what is needed is extraordinary help, assistance that comes… from above. This was the case from 1835, when Europe was...In that context, Bishop Adeodato Caleffi of Modena called on the population to intensify their prayer and works of charity. Thanks be to God - or thanks to human efforts-  the duchy was largely spared from the contagion. To commemorate this narrow escape, it was decided to commission the Emilian sculptor Luigi Mainoni to create a large votive altarpiece in marbled terracotta, inspired by a Neo-Renaissance style.In the upper part of the work, the Immaculate Virgin appears among the clouds, opening her arms wide in a gesture of welcome toward the prayers rising to her. She is fervently invoked by the patron saints of Modena, Geminiano and Omobono, intercessors for the city—an allusion further emphasised by the silhouette of the Ghirlandina Tower visible in the background below. At the centre, an angel armed with a shield and lightning bolt drives away the personification of cholera: a terrifying demonic figure with bat-like wings, visible in the bottom right corner. On the left, the scene culminates in the triumph of hope: divine light announces deliverance to the prostrate people.Let us now observe the figures around the altarpiece. The base features three children holding garlands laden with flowers and fruit, symbolising the abundance of divine grace. Just above them, the allegories of Rectitude and Constancy flank the Latin inscription commemorating the vow made by the citizens to defeat the cholera outbreak. On either side of the altarpiece stand Saints Roch and Sebastian, traditional protectors against plagues, while the pediment is crowned by the allegories of the theological virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity.]]>157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/st-francis-and-the-high-altar--72363578https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72363578Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:41:51 +0000eArsLet’s now turn our gaze to the presbytery, where the high altar is located. Entirely made of Carrara marble, the altar was built in the early 20th century by Carlo Baraldi from Modena, based on a design by engineer Carlo Barberi. Its slender, graceful...143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/blessed-gherardo-boccabadati--72363574He was born into a noble family in Modena between the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th. What a unique experience it must have been to meet the saint of Assisi in person! Gherardo, who soon became Brother Gherardo, can vouch for that. He was in fact an early Franciscan, indeed the chronicles even recall his presence alongside the great saint as he preached… to the birds. But most of Gherardo's life was spent travelling. From city to city, the tireless friar would set public squares ablaze with his disarming message of 'peace and goodness', calling for an end to the internal conflicts between Guelphs and Ghibellines. Parma, Modena, Genoa, Venice and Ferrara were just some of the communities that listened spellbound to his preaching, and wherever he went, conversions and reconciliations followed. After an inspired sermon, in 1233, the city of Parma even granted him the powers of a podestà so that he might finally put an end to the escalating feuds. He also succeeded in bringing about harmony between rival families in Modena. It was precisely to his home town that he returned at the end of his life, dying there in 1257, as a revered holy man. His body was immediately moved to the church of St Francis where it still rests today. Although the date of his beatification is unknown, there are numerous accounts of miraculous events attributed to Brother Gherardo both during his life and after his death. "Blessed are the peacemakers,' says the Gospel... and indeed peace was Gherardo Boccabadati's first and most important miracle.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72363574Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:58:49 +0000eArsLike a monumental marble reliquary, the high altar guards the remains of a man of peace who was also a close friend and faithful disciple of St Francis: Blessed Gherardo Boccabadati Maletta. He was born into a noble family in Modena between the end...He was born into a noble family in Modena between the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th. What a unique experience it must have been to meet the saint of Assisi in person! Gherardo, who soon became Brother Gherardo, can vouch for that. He was in fact an early Franciscan, indeed the chronicles even recall his presence alongside the great saint as he preached… to the birds. But most of Gherardo's life was spent travelling. From city to city, the tireless friar would set public squares ablaze with his disarming message of 'peace and goodness', calling for an end to the internal conflicts between Guelphs and Ghibellines. Parma, Modena, Genoa, Venice and Ferrara were just some of the communities that listened spellbound to his preaching, and wherever he went, conversions and reconciliations followed. After an inspired sermon, in 1233, the city of Parma even granted him the powers of a podestà so that he might finally put an end to the escalating feuds. He also succeeded in bringing about harmony between rival families in Modena. It was precisely to his home town that he returned at the end of his life, dying there in 1257, as a revered holy man. His body was immediately moved to the church of St Francis where it still rests today. Although the date of his beatification is unknown, there are numerous accounts of miraculous events attributed to Brother Gherardo both during his life and after his death. "Blessed are the peacemakers,' says the Gospel... and indeed peace was Gherardo Boccabadati's first and most important miracle.]]>143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/san-francesco-museum--72363579Votive offerings ex voto are exactly this: precious gifts offered to God, Our Lady or a saint embodying a believer's gratitude for obtaining a grace. The museum holds a significant collection of these. Among reliquaries and sacred statues, the display cases on the walls to the right and left display ex voto objects dating to the 18th and 19th centuries.  One of the oldest and most evocative forms is undoubtedly the painted one. Small scenes, outlined with the swift yet effective strokes typical of popular art, depict the moment when Providence intervened to save someone in danger. What would have happened, for example, to that man thrown from his carriage if the Virgin had not intervened to protect him from harm? And to that sick woman who pleaded for her recovery from her bed? In these images, the divine presence is perceived as close and real in every moment of daily life.Another very common type of ex voto are small flaming silver hearts. These are the 'PGRs', i.e. 'for grace received'. Indeed, offering one's heart to someone who loves us enough to care for us is always the right thing to do.Finally, this room also hosts a true rarity. One of the reliquaries displayed around the room holds an ancient letter. It contains a few lines penned by none other than Saint Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan from 1565. The missive, possibly dated 21 November 1580, formalises the resignation from ecclesiastical offices of Giovanni Battista Corneo, who is thought to have been an archivist or curial official. Talk about owning an original manuscript!]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72363579Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:59:24 +0000eArsIf a friend supported you at a difficult time, or even saved your life, wouldn’t you want to repay him or her with a gift? Votive offerings ex voto are exactly this: precious gifts offered to God, Our Lady or a saint embodying a believer's gratitude...Votive offerings ex voto are exactly this: precious gifts offered to God, Our Lady or a saint embodying a believer's gratitude for obtaining a grace. The museum holds a significant collection of these. Among reliquaries and sacred statues, the display cases on the walls to the right and left display ex voto objects dating to the 18th and 19th centuries.  One of the oldest and most evocative forms is undoubtedly the painted one. Small scenes, outlined with the swift yet effective strokes typical of popular art, depict the moment when Providence intervened to save someone in danger. What would have happened, for example, to that man thrown from his carriage if the Virgin had not intervened to protect him from harm? And to that sick woman who pleaded for her recovery from her bed? In these images, the divine presence is perceived as close and real in every moment of daily life.Another very common type of ex voto are small flaming silver hearts. These are the 'PGRs', i.e. 'for grace received'. Indeed, offering one's heart to someone who loves us enough to care for us is always the right thing to do.Finally, this room also hosts a true rarity. One of the reliquaries displayed around the room holds an ancient letter. It contains a few lines penned by none other than Saint Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan from 1565. The missive, possibly dated 21 November 1580, formalises the resignation from ecclesiastical offices of Giovanni Battista Corneo, who is thought to have been an archivist or curial official. Talk about owning an original manuscript!]]>146falsefull