About
The church of Gesù, better known in Palermo as Casa Professa, is a wonderful baroque jewel in the heart of the city, right on the edge of the famous Ballarò market.
In 1564, the Jesuit fathers initiated the construction of a new church, as the existing one, S. Maria della Grotta, was deemed too narrow. This new ecclesiastical complex, designed by Giovanni Tristano, was completed in 1578 under the supervision of Francesco Costa and Alfio Vinci. The first round of alterations took place in 1591, funded by considerable capital, resulting in the demolition of dividing walls and conversion of the single nave into three naves. These changes were based on a project by Father Christmas Masuccio from Messina. In the early 17th century, further enlargements were made to accommodate Jesuit architecture's grandeur and pomp.
The works were carried out according to another design by Masuccio after acquiring premises from the Confraternity of Saints Cosma and Damiano in 1606. Under the direction of architect Father Tommaso Blandino in the second and third decades of the 17th century, significant expansions were made to the transept and apse, giving the church its current appearance. On August 16, 1636, Cardinal Giannettino Doria presided over its solemn consecration ceremony.
