Canonization of Saint Francis at the Sacro Monte di Orta

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Canonization of Saint Francis (Chapel 20), Sculptures by Dionigi Bussola and Frescoes by Antonio Busca, c. 1660–1680

Sacro Monte di Orta is a devotional complex located in Piedmont, in northern Italy, whose construction began in 1583. Conceived as an immersive pilgrimage site, the original project planned for 36 chapels dedicated to the life and legacy of St. Francis of Assisi. Each chapel portrays a different episode from the Saint’s life through the combined use of sculpture, fresco, and architectural staging, creating a vivid three-dimensional narrative environment for reflection and prayer. Although only twenty of the intended thirty-six chapels were ultimately completed by the late 18th century, the site remains one of the most remarkable Franciscan devotional projects of the early modern period.

Chapel Twenty, dedicated to the canonization of St. Francis by Pope Gregory IX, is especially noteworthy. The sculptural figures were created by Dionigi Bussola, while Antonio Busca executed the surrounding frescoes. Together, they reconstruct the solemn papal ceremony that took place in the second quarter of the 13th century, yet they interpret it through the visual language, clothing, courtly manners, and liturgical atmosphere of the 17th century in which they lived. This anachronism allows viewers to witness not only a historical event but also the artists’ understanding of ecclesiastical ceremony, hierarchy, and sacred ritual in their own time.

The scene is peopled with a strikingly realistic number and variety of participants, capturing the energy and layered social structure of such a momentous occasion. Clergy, noblemen, and papal officials fill the space, while friars kneel in reverence, their posture embodying devotion and humility. Children move through the central aisle of the basilica carrying baskets filled with birds, customary offerings symbolizing thanksgiving and joy. 

Many figures are shown conversing in small groups; some appear animated, discussing the event, while others observe the solemnity of the canonization with awe. This interplay of reverence and lively social presence underscores the communal significance of Francis’s elevation to sainthood, reflecting both public celebration and private devotion. The chapel thus serves not only as a memorial to a pivotal religious event but also as a window into the liturgical culture and courtly sensibilities of 17th-century Catholicism.

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