Thursday, December 31, 2009

20th Century Church Birdwalking II

Chiesa di Nuestra Signora di Vilme
This is the parish church connected with "The Work of the Church," a 50-year old movement started by Mother Trinidad, originally from Dos Hermanas, near Seville, Spain. It was in the town of Dos Hermanas that devotion to Mary with the title of Our Lady of Valme originated. It is said that King Fernando III carried her statue into battle in 1248 and was successful in taking Seville back from the Moors.



The church is in a dense residential neighborhood of apartment buildings on the slope of the Portuense hill as it goes down toward the Tiber River.
Chiesa di Nuestra Signora di Vilme was built between 1992-1996 and designed by Ferdinando Sciamanna and Cinzia Spina. The liturgical space is a square under a massive coffered concrete ceiling with two expansive walls of glass for the absidal wall and the entrance of the church.
Spanish (Baroque) influence can be seen in the chandeliers as well as in details of the shrine behind the altar that contains a painted image of Our Lady of Vilme.

The Eucharistic Chapel (with Perpetual Adoration) is to the left of the sanctuary, behind a glass wall covered with iron gates in a style that matches the chandeliers.

Next door "The Work of the Church" has a villa that welcomes Bishops visiting the Vatican for their Ad Limina visits. These visits are required by Canon Law. It is the obligation of bishops to send a report on the status of their dioceses to the Vatican every five years, visit the tombs of Sts. Peter and Paul and "appear before the Roman pontiff."

1 comment:

Bill B said...

Happy New Year to you and Vin, Larry! Big bear hugs ~ Bill & Gregg