The
Jubilee Church (La Chiesa del Dio Padre Misericordioso), conceived as part of
Pope John Paul II’s millennium initiative to rejuvenate parish life within
Italy, is located outside central Rome. The triangular site is articulated
three ways: first, dividing the sacred realm to the south, where the nave is
located, from the secular precinct to the north; second, separating the
approach on foot from the housing situated in the east; and third, again
separating the approach on foot, from the parking lot situated to the west.
The
paved sagrato to the east of the church extends into the heart of the housing
complex and provides an open plaza for public assembly. The northern half of
the site is divided into two courts: the eastern one is below ground by a full
story, providing light and access to the lowest floor of the community center.
Behind the church, the elevated western court is separated from the adjacent
meditation court by a paved walkway that leads to the parking area.
The
proportional structure of the entire complex is based on a series of squares
and four circles. Three circles of equal radius generate the profiles of the
three concrete shells that, together with the spine-wall, make up the body of
the nave. While the three shells imply the Holy Trinity, the reflecting pool
symbolizes the role played by water in the sacrament of Baptism. The materials
used in the portico—the paving, the wall cladding and the liturgical
furniture—allude to the body of Christ’s church while referencing the fabric of
the adjacent residential area.
Glazed
skylights suspended between the shells are lit by zenithal sidelight, and the
nave is enlivened by a constantly changing pattern of light and shade. The
light is diffused over the inner volume of the church and varies according to
the hour, the weather, and the season, imparting a particular character to the
aspects of the interior.
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