The design of a liturgical building requires not only technical skills but a broad vision that includes knowledge of the chrisms dictated by the Liturgical Reform on the adaptation of ecclesiastical buildings envisaged by the Second Vatican Council.

The magazine Psallite Musica & Liturgia, collects reflections and insights addressed to the musical animators of the liturgy and beyond, provides useful information related to the liturgical world, involving priests, teachers, professionals, artists and musicians.

The latest issue of the magazine features an in-depth article entitled: ‘The church building: elements and functions’ written by Cairepro member Alberto Calza. The article describes a point of view on the main elements that make up the architecture of buildings of worship: the altar and the ambo, put in relation to the function they perform during the profession of faith.

Resuming some extracts from the article: there is a profound bond between the celebrating assembly and the architecture of the building in which the celebration takes place, in the sense that “the celebration of the Catholic liturgy is anything but indifferent to the architecture and, vice versa, the architecture of a church does not leave the liturgy celebrated in it indifferent” and thus “just as there is no immutable liturgy, so there is no architecture and art for the liturgy that are immutable”.

The church is not a monument erected to God but a place of encounter; in it, architecture and space become instruments capable of communicating and facilitating prayer and celebration, and at the same time it is “a strong sign of the living community in its historical dimension and a stable visual reference also for non-believers”.

Project for the new church dedicated to St Athanasius (Rome)

architectural project: arch. Maicher Biagini
structural design: ing. Alberto Calza

Project for the new church dedicated to San Tommaso Becket bishop and the Santi Martiri Inglesi (Sant’Agata li Battiati Catania)

Design team:
Architectural project: arch. Massimiliano Valdinoci (group leader), arch. Maicher Biagini, arch. Annalisa Petrilli, arch. PhD Carla Zito, arch. Francesco Zambon
structural design and systems: ing. Alberto Calza
acoustic design: ing. Emanuele Morlini
liturgist: Goffredo Boselli
artist: Gianmaria Potenza