The last Jesuit leaves: Alghero, the church of San Michele remains closed

The feast of the patron saint of Alghero, San Michele, was archived a few days ago, but the church of San Michele remains closed.

Sardenya i Llibertat, with Salvatore Scala, Carlo Sechi, Luigi Addis and Sergio Floris, wonders if it will ever be reopened to the faithful.

"Now that the last Jesuit has left the church of San Michele having reached the age limit, the Jesuit community ceases its work in the city once again. To all these fathers who have taken turns over the years we owe gratitude and recognition for the precious work carried out", write the management of the political movement. The church of San Michele in Alghero has a connection with the Society of Jesus (religious order founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola) that has lasted for hundreds of years . "The arrival of the Jesuits in Alghero, enthusiastically supported by the population, was the result of the collaboration between the civil and religious authorities, following a legacy from Canon Gavino Çarrovira, later replenished by a generous legacy from the Algherese captain Geronimo Ferret. The presence in the city of the religious of the Society of Jesus, repeatedly requested by the civil authorities, was obtained thanks to the intervention of Bishop Andreu Baccallar", recall the representatives of Sardenya i Llibertat.

«After the terrible plague epidemic of 1582-1583 that had decimated the population of Alghero, in 1584 the first Jesuit fathers arrived in Alghero and settled in San Michele, donated to the Company by the bishop to facilitate the settlement of the community. A prestigious church because, temporarily from the mid-16th century, it served as a cathedral awaiting the construction of the definitive one of Santa Maria ».

San Michele was a point of reference for popular religiosity and for the cultural growth of the population. «Following the law of suppression of religious orders in 1855, the Jesuit fathers abandoned the city, the College was closed while the premises and other areas of relevance were transformed into barracks. But this is a distant past. In 1950, the return of the Society of Jesus to Alghero was promoted with great dedication by the Jesuit father Giacomo Bacigalupo, supported and authorized by the bishop of the time, Monsignor Adolfo Ciuchini. In this way, the fathers of the Society of Jesus were able to return to the availability of the church of San Michele, the house for the residence and the adjacent areas of relevance with great satisfaction of the city authorities and the demonstrations of affection of the population of Alghero. Thus, after a long interruption, they resumed the work of apostolate, the precious educational and formative mission towards the many young people of the city. Here, youth groups, sports groups, scouts and guides, various cultural services and activities such as the library, theatre, music, polyphonic singing, cinema and film club, environmental organisations, and fundamentally important social activities such as the Listening Centre and the Primavera Association have been able to operate .