Christ Church

Romanian Orthodox Church

The Church of Christ is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in Reggio Emilia.
The building began as an oratory, before being converted during the 18th century into a fully-fledged church, rich in charm and history.
The church was built to house a fresco of the Most Holy Crucifix, painted in oil on plaster by an anonymous artist from Reggio Emilia during the plague of 1630–1631.
This image, considered miraculous, immediately became the object of deep popular devotion, prompting the faithful to build a sacred place to preserve its memory.
In 1761, work began on the new oratory, designed by the Reggio-based architect Giovan Battista Cattani, known as Cavallari.
The church was opened for worship in 1763 and completed by the end of the century.
Following the Napoleonic suppression of the confraternities, the church was closed, only to be reopened in 1814.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, it underwent several restoration works aimed at preserving its decorative richness and original structure.

The façade

The spectacular façade is one of the finest examples of Baroque style in Reggio Emilia.
The central portal is surmounted by a moulded window with a balustrade and embellished with three marble statues by the Veronese sculptor Angelo Finali (18th century), depicting the theological virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity.
The most recent restoration, carried out in 2018 by architect Paolo Bedogni, has brought the façade’s original colours back to life, restoring it to its 18th-century splendour.

The interior

The interior of the church, with its single nave, is distinguished by the elegance and harmony of its stucco decorations.
The balustrades and ornamental elements lend the space a delicate and dramatic rhythm.
The high altar, in 19th-century stucco, is the work of Tondelli’s workshop, whilst the apse houses the famous fresco of the Most Holy Crucifix, depicting Christ on the Cross with the Sorrowful Virgin kneeling at his feet: an image of intense spirituality and profound emotion.