Chiesa del Carmine Maggiore - Palermo

The construction of the early church revolves around the ancient Chapel of Pieta , which, according to tradition, was given to the first Carmelites by Queen Adelasia in 1200 .

According to historical sources, this chapel was built together with the monastery in 1118 . The chapel has two different styles: Romanesque, in the round arches that support the ceiling; and Gothic with the Agnus Dei as a hanging key. This chapel was later included in the second church built in 1244 by the Carmelite brothers , dedicated to Our Lady of the Annunciation, a name given to all the churches founded by the Carmelites in the West because of the strong bond they had with the city of Nazareth , the place of the Annunciation. Later it was named Madonna del Carmine.

The current church was built by architect Mariano Smiriglio between 1627 and 1693. The central point of the church is the figure of Saint Elijah who defended the faith of the God of Israel on Mount Carmel by winning the battle with the priests of Baal .

The Chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has in its center an oil painting on panel by Tommaso De Vigilia from 1492 depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel with scenes from the life of the early Carmelites.

Opposite it is the Chapel of the Crucifix with the wooden crucified Christ in the center between a gilded cloth attributed to Girolamo Bagnasco.

The former chapel of Sant'Elia houses the silver simulacrum of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a wooden statue from 1598 that was covered in silver by Giuseppe Castronovo in 1729.

willem vandenameele