Architectural publicity: Borromeo

A treaty of toward the end of 16th century, this is Instructionum fabricate ecclesiasticae et suppellectilis ecclesisiasticae, by Saint Carlo Borromeo(1538-1584), is a treat about the form and furniture of the churches, in Against reform wit, every tool was necessary to contrast the Protestantism and other confessions, hence the architecture was useful, and this book begun: “…the work of our cure on the method of make we ascertain:…so that also the building and ornament and decoration of churches in conformity to fit form; and this concept could be a personal idea of writer, but it has confirmed from the words of the same Borromeo: “…we have necessity, for our herd that we must defend from the lethal heresies, and we must work so that the health for perpetual through solicitude of our duty…”; it confirms my judge, also the architectural built can aid the catholic cause. Regard the cloth of priests: “…the holy cloth and vases must be very much, calices and candelabrum and relics for much uses must be of gold and silver, and cloth of gold and silver…”. But also the saints not understand the architecture hence regard the town of build the church the step is meaningful: “De town of church. The first judge must be of bishop and together of architect, because the town must be opportune…”, the mere instructions has beginning: “…as built church with three or five steps fro get up to it..”, the symbolic valor of this steps is in origin pagan culture, because getting up to the temple, through the steps, the faithful left the earth and he became near to divinity; the Christian architecture has kept the same symbolic function, and the number three is the Holy Trinity and the five is otherwise symbolic and means, because five are the senses of body, and getting up the steps of church is means that the body is leaving the earth, but it means also the five sores of Christ. The faithful must be concentrated on the his prayer, inasmuch the rumor and stores od workers, and other distraction must be very distant. The Medieval heritage is in this step: “…neither the church windows are dark and nothing prevent the light”; it is the medieval heritage because it is enough remember the valor of windows in the architecture of Medieval cathedrals. Rightly the publicity has need of a public thence: “About the largeness of town of church. The town in front of church must be very large so that the attendance must comfort, hence the town must be allows the large space”, and the major publicity is in the form of church: “…more power is the form of cross that must shown as the plane of holy basilicas of Rome and to this form it is necessary follow…”; it is certainly a treatise about the architecture, without technical dates, because Borromeo hasn’t knowledge about the architecture, but we can understand the wit of time, year 1577, when this treatise was published, it keeps the fight of Catholic Church against the Protestantism; whereby also the architecture has had its rule.

Alessandro Lusana