San Celestino Parish Church
Address and contacts
Piazza San Celestino, 2 - 42023 Cadelbosco di Sopra
Phone 0039 0522 917412
How to get there
See the indication to reach Cadelbosco di Sopra
Historical notes
In 1103 a husband and wife, Guglielmo and Maria, donated a number of goods and properties to the monastery along with the part of the Chapel of San Celestino that was their property.
The Church of San Celestino is extensively mentioned in the charter of the Emperor Lothario in 1137, in that of Pope Celestine III in 1194 “In castro Vicoiovarii cum Capella San Celsi,” and in that of Pope Gregory IX (1228) “…Ecclesiam San Celestini de Vicozoario cum possessionibus suis et viginti mansos in eodem loco.”
The church belonged to the Benedictine monks who, as of 1215, delegated its custodianship to clerics or priests.
In the early years of the 15th century, the primitive Church of San Celestino e Annunziata was reconstructed. The tower, the remaining vestiges of which can be seen on the northern wall of the new church, was built in 1442. In 1459, the abbot had the priest’s residence built at his own expense. The church was extended on the front in 1506 by a fourth of its original length.
In 1530-31, the building was completely restored and embellished: the chancel, or Chapel of the Holy Sacrament, was added, which still exists between the modern church and the sacristy.
In 1531, the altar of San Michele, or Santa Lucia, was restored. In the same year, a new vaulted roof was built to replace the trussing.
The Marquis Ercole d’Este had founded a permanent benefice in 1513 for the cure of souls under the name of Santissima Annunziata, with a church to be built. Thanks to this donation and following the division of the parish of San Celestino into two parts, which took place in 1515 and was confirmed by the bishop in 1523, the new parish of Cadelbosco Sotto was formed.
At the beginning of the 17th century, a number of chapels were built in the church.
In 1637, the main bell was forged and transported to the new bell tower, where it can still be heard today.
On a design by the architect Francesco Zanni, the foundations were laid in October 1755 and on 17th June 1764 the main part of the new church was blessed, as the presbytery and chancel were finished only in 1769.
During the nine years in which the new church was built, the functions took place in the old church, which was then incorporated into the perimeter of the new one on the southern side, site of the current sacristy.
From 1812, the church held the majestic organ produced by the celebrated Traeri. The earthquake of 1832 seriously damaged the church, which was restored the following year by the master builder Antonio Iotti of Cadelbosco. In 1890-91, the entire church was renovated and embellished.
The interior, which later showed signs of deterioration, was completely renovated and embellished in 1963-64.
Worthy of viewing are number of sacred objects in silver, including a penitential cross of the 15th century, a reliquary of 1518, a censer of 1785, and a thurible of 1735.
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