Driven by the determination of a confraternity to enrich it with works of art, and by the generosity of the local community, a church that began as a small, unadorned space gradually became, over the centuries, a site of remarkable artistic and historical significance.
The earliest records of the Church of Santa Croce date back to 1623, when the Confraternity of Suffrage purchased a private building to convert into an oratory. Although only recently established, the confraternity soon earned the affection and respect of the people through its charitable work during the devastating plague of 1630.
With the purchase of two houses on Via Magna Burgi, now Via Arduino, the building was finally enlarged. In 1665 the sacristy, the choir, and the small square in front of the church were completed. It was the iron chains enclosing this little square that gave rise to the local nickname “gesia dle cadene”, the “Church of the Chains.”
During the eighteenth century, the high altar and the dome were built, while between 1753 and 1761 the church was enriched with the magnificent cycle of frescoes by the painter Luca Rossetti of Orta.
Rossetti’s work, the church’s most important artistic treasure, displays all the defining features of the Baroque: theatricality, grandeur, a desire to inspire wonder, and an exquisite attention to detail. Its most remarkable quality is the artist’s ability to expand the perceived space through perspective and trompe-l’œil effects. The frescoes revolve around two closely connected themes within a sophisticated theological programme: the glorification of the Virgin Mary and the continuity between the Old and New Testaments. The biblical exegesis underpinning the cycle is exceptionally refined.
In 1777, the old bell tower, by then in danger of collapse, was rebuilt in the form that can still be seen today.
During the Napoleonic period, the church was converted into a military storehouse. It was reconsecrated as early as 1802 and became the place of worship of the Confraternity of Santa Croce, created through the merger of the Confraternity of Suffrage and the Confraternity of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.
The last major addition was the façade, clad in white Viggiù stone, executed by Pietro Rossi and the sculptor Giuseppe Argenti from a design drawn up in 1850 by the engineer Giuseppe Melchioni. The sculptures in the lunette depict the Souls in Purgatory; the group above, inspired by a model by Canova, represents the Deposition of Christ; while the pediment features God the Father surrounded by clouds, angels, and cherubs.
The church remains consecrated and is still cared for by the Confraternity of Santa Croce. Alongside its regular religious services, it continues to serve the community as a venue for exhibitions and cultural events.
