Church of St. Peter in Supponito (Chiesa di San Pietro in Supponito)
The origin of the Pievania St. Peter dates back to around 1200 and it is believed that it was founded by those of Corveglia, who certainly concurred in founding Villanova.
The original seat of the church of S. Pietro Pievania, was on the west side of the main road, where there was, until a few years ago, the Albergo dei Buoi Rossi; next to the church was the canonical house and the rustic house for the settler.
An indication of this, it was a painting of St. Peter on the wall of the hotel; and in front of this image, now replaced by a painting, still every year, on the evening of 29 June, the parishioners of Pievania, gather reciting prayers and singing the hymn of the Apostles.
Leaning against the wall of the hotel, now a private house, there is still the well-known as St. Peter.
In 1585, the church of the Pievania of St. Peter being in poor condition and truly unserviceable for worship, it was temporarily transferred to the church of St. Martin, then definitively to the parish church of St. Peter in Supponito, that is, to its present location.
Supponito is mentioned in a Bull of Benedict VIII in 1014, preserved in the archiepiscopal archives of Turin, and it is believed that so was called a grouping of houses with a monastery, surrounded by many inhabitants, located almost in the place where the parish church of S. Pietro now stands.
Some then going into more remote origins, assure that a certain Suppone, Count of Asti, in the VIII century, was first inhabited the place and given it his name. The church of St. Peter has three naves, with cross vaults, supported by columns that were originally bundled, cylindrical, and later duplicated and covered contrary to the rest of the sacred building and to the disdain of good artistic taste.
These columns, however, are still found intact in their covering.
The capitals, the doorposts, jambs, vaults and other ornaments of the church tend to the Romanesque style.
The buildings have windows and semi-circular doors, ie with a semicircular arch. Of great value and well-preserved is the fresco above the altar where St. Rita is venerated, representing St. Blaise between Saints Mary Magdalene and Lucy (15th century, by the school of Giotto).
There are two precious paintings by Guglielmo Caccia - called “Il Moncalvo” (1600) - one depicting the Holy Trinity, the other St. Francis of Assisi. The interior and exterior of this church shows traces of radical improvements and transformations.
In 1830 Franco cav. Giuseppe erected the sacristy, conducted up to the dome the construction of today's bell tower and bought the present rectory house.
In 1860 Mons. Borio Giuseppe completed the bell tower and made the paintings inside the church.
The new facade of the church was built on a project by engineer Giov. Battista Ferrante and inaugurated on October 15, 1893, being Mons. Giovanni Goria; it corresponds to interior style and has three compartments, of which the central one has a cuspidal shape.
The faux mosaic in the lunette of the main door of the church facade was inaugurated on October 13, 1894.
The new balustrade of the high altar, by the Turin marble maker Silvestri Secondo, designed by the engineer Gallo Giuseppe, a jewel of art, was inaugurated by the Pievano Monsignor Goria, on September 16, 1914.
The painting of S. Rita, painted by Prof. Stura of Turin, was blessed on February 20, 1928.
On July 21, 1940 there was the inauguration of the new pews.
On Oct. 12, 1941 the inauguration of the new stained glass windows "St. Francis of Assisi agony of St. Joseph."
On July 16, 1944, the inauguration of the new altar at St. Rita, in white statuary marble which, in its minute embroideries, recalls the artistic altars of the Certosa di Pavia, - the work of the Allegra company; the new triptych at St. Rita, the work of Prof. Corio, indorator Morino and statue at St. Rita, the work of Prof. Corio, was also blessed.
The following churches are located in the parish territory of St. Peter: Shrine of the B. V. delle Grazie - Confraternity of SS. Annunziata - Interior chapel in the hospital shelter - Borgata Bianchi - Gianassi Terrazze - Brassicarda.
Insights
Comune di Villanova d'Asti
https://www.comune.villanova.at.it/
- Chiesa di San Pietro
https://www.comune.villanova.at.it/it/page/chiesa-di-san-pietro - Testimonianze d'arte
https://www.comune.villanova.at.it/it/page/testimonianze-d-arte-4423d3bb-04f5-4b29-9592-418fb67a84e1
BeWeb - Beni Ecclesiastici in WEB
https://beweb.chiesacattolica.it/
- Chiesa di San Pietro in Supponito
https://www.beweb.chiesacattolica.it/houses/house/22212/Villanova+d%27Asti+%28AT%29+%7C+Chiesa+di+San+Pietro+in+Supponito
GAL BMA - Gruppo di Azione Locale del Basso Monferrato Astigiano
https://www.monferratoastigiano.it/
- Comune di Villanova d’Asti (AT)
https://www.monferratoastigiano.it/comune-di-villanova-dasti-at/
See also...
• Villanova d'Asti tourist guide
