Santa Maria de los Angeles

Marian Advocation of Lugano (Tesino)

La iglesia de Santa María degli Angioli It is located in the historic centre of Lugano, next to the lake, and was built as a church of a convent of observing friars (Franciscan) in the 16th century. Its foundation is in the context of the Franciscan expansion in the Italian-speaking region of the present canton of Tesino, when the Marian asvocations of the Order, including Santa Maria de los Angeles, were strongly disseminated.

Main data

Origin and history

La iglesia de Santa María degli Angioli It is located in the historic centre of Lugano, next to the lake, and was built as a church of a convent of observing friars (Franciscan) in the 16th century. Its foundation is in the context of the Franciscan expansion in the Italian-speaking region of the present canton of Tesino, when the Marian asvocations of the Order, including Santa Maria de los Angeles, were strongly disseminated.

From the perspective of the documented historythe sources on Lugano above all highlight the artistic value of the temple: in the interior a great fresco of the mural of the Passion and Crucifixion of Christ performed by Bernardino Luini about 1529-1530, considered one of the masterpieces of the Lombard Renaissance. This fresco occupies the entire wall that separates the ship from the presbytery. It also mentions the existence of several side altars and chapels with devotional paintings and works, but the sources of tourist and artistic character do not develop in detail a history of a specific Marian icon in Lugano.

As for the wider Franciscan traditionthe title of Santa Maria de los Angeles is closely linked to the Porcicuncula of Assisi, a small church restored by Saint Francis and turned into a spiritual center of the Order, where the well-known "Forgiveness of Assisi" is celebrated on August 2. This tradition, of Italian and medieval origin, was spread through the Franciscan convents in Europe, particularly in Italian-speaking environments and then in other countries. It is reasonable to place Lugano's advocation in this general Franciscan current, although the specific sources on the Luganese church do not collect particular local legends associated with a miraculous apparition or finding of the image; therefore, no consta a legendary tradition of its own documented for this advocation in Lugano.

The image and the sanctuary

La church is officially called Church of Santa María degli Angioli (Santa Maria de los Angeles). It is a one-ship temple, with a relatively sober exterior appearance, but with a richly decorated interior with fresh Renaissance. It is not listed in the sources consulted as a minor basilica or a national sanctuary; it is simply one of the most important and visited historical churches in Lugano, located near the lake and the central shopping area.

The available sources are almost exclusively focused on the fresh Passion and Crucifixion by Bernardino Luini, who dominates the inner space. This fresco presents Christ crucified surrounded by numerous scenes and figures, with a complex theological and narrative composition; it is considered the main "treasure" of the church. Other frescoes are also seen in the apse vault and in the walls, also of Renaissance times.

As for a imagen marian concrete under the title of St. Mary of the Angels in this church of Lugano, the artistic and travel sources consulted (descriptions of the church, reviews of visitors) do not detail either the type (painting, sculpture), or the material, or a precise iconography that has reached its own reputation beyond the context of the temple. It is generally referred to side altars and sacred works of art, but no consta a specific description of the "Marian altar very venerated" to highlight an image of St. Mary of the Angels comparable, for example, to the Virgin of the Angels of other known shrines. In the absence of verifiable data, no consta with precision the typology and detailed iconography of the main Marian image venerated as Santa María de los Angeles in this church.

Sponsorship and coronation

On the broader historical and canonical plane, the advocation of Santa Maria de los Angeles It has a strong roots in Franciscan spirituality, especially for its link with Assisi and, in America, with shrines like that of Costa Rica, where Our Lady of Angels is a national patron. However, with regard specifically to Lungthe sources consulted on the city and the church do not indicate that St. Mary of the Angels, as it was venerated in this church, has been formally proclaimed patron of the city, of the canton of the Tesino or of the dioceseor other official patronage specifically associated with this image. Therefore, no consta a canonical patronage specific to this advocation at the local level of Lugano.

In relation to the canonical coronation, the usual lists of solemn coronations of Marian images (often collected when it comes to national or high international claims) do mention coronations linked to other images of Our Lady of Angels, but does not appear reference in the sources consulted to a concrete canonical coronation of an image of Santa María de los Angeles in the church of Lugano, no year, pontifical decree or delegate are cited. Therefore, and following the criterion of historical and devotional prudence, it must be stated that does not contain a documented canonical coronation for this advocation in the church of Santa Maria degli Angioli de Lugano.

Party and devotion

En la universal Franciscan tradition, the party Santa María de los Angeles de la Porciuncula se celebra el August 2the day when the indulgence of the Porciuncula is granted in the Franciscan temples and in other duly authorized churches. This date is usually associated with the advocation of St. Mary of the Angels in the liturgical calendars and in popular piety. Given the Franciscan character of the church of Lugano, it is reasonable to assume that it shares this liturgical reference, but the specific sources on the parish or the temple of Lugano consulted (of artistic or tourist type) in documenting explicitly particular celebrations, novenas or Marian processions of August 2 in this place.

On the afluencia de fieles and the tone of devotion, the sources highlight above all the constant flow of visitors for the artistic value of the fresco of Luini, stressing that the church is open and that it remains open much of the day, with extensive times for visit and prayer. It is indicated that it is one of the most visited places in Lugano and that the interior surprises the pilgrim for the beauty of the fresh Renaissance. However, no constan quantitative data (number of pilgrims, statistics of Masses or Marian groups) are not indicated any specific popular traditions (Romeries, processions with the image, etc.) linked exclusively to the advocation of Santa Maria de los Angeles in this temple.

Link to the Rosary

In the available documentation on the iglesia de Santa María degli Angioli de Luganono explicit mention of a the Rosary, an official Marian sanctuary linked to the Rosary prayer, nor a particular relationship between this local advocation and specific practices of solemn, processional or similar rosaries. Therefore, from the historical - documentary point of view, no consta a special legal or devotional link with the Rosary in this sanctuary comparable to that of other great rosarian Marian shrines.

However, the invocation of Santa Maria de los Angelesborn in the heart of Franciscan spirituality, it is deeply harmonized with the Rosary com