kindergarten and oratory of S. Rosa

S. Rosa construction is composed by the kindergarten and the oratory. It was built between 1925 and 1928 following the project by the famous Roman architect Florestano Di Fausto. The structure was dedicated to S. Rosa from Lima to honour the memory of Rosa Maltoni (Mussolini's mother). It was the first church constructed in the territory of the new-founded Predappio Nuova.

Address: Via Roma 21, 47016 Predappio (FC), Italia
Telephone number: +39.0543.922249

Description

In the refectory there is a beautiful work of art in azulejos style. It has iconographic features; it portrays "Madonna del Fascio" on a ceramic panel composed by glazed bricks. Madonna del Fascio (S. Rosa Kindergarten and oratory-Predappio). This work of art is kept in S. Rosa kindergarten and oratory (Predappio). The Kindergarten and oratory are located in viale Roma the main road that crosses Predappio. It is the most peculiar work of art in S. Rosa kindergarten and oratory. It is a ceramic panel (310x260cm.) composed by 344 tiles. It recalls iconographic paintings of the Italian Renascence and at the same time it represents the Fascist regime symbols and evokes the great Portuguese azulejos style. This work of art is unique from the iconographic point of view. It was realised in 1927 in Portugal. The panel was first presented to the public at the International Exhibition in Milan in 1927. Since 1923 the lictorian fasces had been officially introduced in the iconography of the Fascist Italian State. This work of art symbolizes the success of the regime propaganda iconography. This work of art was given to Mussolini as a present. He exposed it in the halls of Palazzo Braschi in Rome, then he put it in Rocca delle Caminate and finally in S. Rosa oratory in Predappio. This panel has a fake architectonic frame. Mary and her Baby sit on a throne in the centre of the panel, while the background is decorated with many relevant symbols such as two angels holding the lictorian fasces blessed by Jesus. The rich chromatism of the panel had been revitalised by a recent restore.


The oratory as a whole is extremely interesting. It is dedicated to S. Rosa da Lima and it hosts various works of art:
- "Madonna del libro" is a beautiful XVI century painting on a wooden board and it belongs to the Tuscany school.
- A wooden statue of Santa Rosa from Lima sculpted by Bernardino Boifava in 1928.
- Beautiful windows decorated by Pollini laboratory in Florence. This glassworks was founded in 1919 by Guido Polloni (1900-1984) in Florence. Along the second quarter of the XX century magnificent windows of private and public buildings had been produced by this glassworks. The crucial moments of Isabella Flores' life are depicted on the three windows of the presbytery. She was a pretty young girl who was born in 1586. Her Spanish parents moved to Peru. When she was 20 she received an education no other women of that time had. She pronounced the Dominican vows. The Saint is portrayed on the central window of the presbytery; she was the patron saint of America and she was canonized in 1672. She is portrayed wearing a large draped dress. Some episodes of her life are depicted on the side windows of the presbytery. The Holy Sprit in the shape of a dove is depicted on the rose window. The other side windows are enriched by simple abstract decorations.


Nowadays the little church and the nearby kindergarten are run by four Ursuline nouns belonging to Bergamo congregation.

News

The Patron Saint of Predappio (S. Rosa da Lima) is celebrated on the last Sunday of August with a big village fete.
When the restore of the azulejos work of art portraying Santa Rosa da Lima was over Predappio Commune organized a congress (30th June 2001) and its proceedings had been published in "Kindergarten and S. Rita oratory: the restore of Madonna del Fascio" by Mariacristina Gori 2001. Proceedings of the congress-Predappio, 30th June 2001.