HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
On the 10th August 1557, duke Emanuele Filiberto beat the French Army at S.Quentin, allowing Spanish hegemony in Europe, also thanks to the following Peace of Chateau Cambresis (1559) and his return to the Duchy of Savoy which he soon started to radically change. As it was S.Lorence Feastday both Felipe II of Spain and Emanuele Filiberto promised that they would build a place of worship in honor of the saint himself. Felipe II soon after built the Monastry of S.Lorence dell’Escorial, a few kilometers from Madrid, where he then spent the last years of his own life. But at the time Duke Emanuele Filiberto, was busy building the Citadel and the State itself, and he hadn’t got sufficient money for a new Church, thus he dedicaded the already existing Church of Santa Maria ad Presepaem. Here, he had brought the Holy Shroud so that it could be venerated by S. Charles Borromeo, as the saint himself had made a vow to do so, during the Pest of Milan.
CRONOLOGICAL PROSPECT OF THE ROYAL CHURCH OF SAINT LORENCE
1177 The small Church of S. Mary “ad praesepem” is mentioned.
1562 Duke Emanuele Filiberto, having made a vow to S. Lawrence for the victory at S. Quintino, restores and dedicates it to the Saint.
1634 The Church is given to the Theatines who decided to rebuild it.
1634 Laying the foundation stone.
1664 New project of Amedeo di Castellamonte.
1666 Guarino Guarini is called to take down the parts that had already been done.
1668 Begining of demolishing work for the new project.
1679 Raising of the cross.
1680 Opening for worship – Sunday 12th May.
1696 Finishing of plaster,statues, tribunes,decorations, floor – Consacration of the Main Altar.
1730 Execution of the chorus.
1738 Placement of the statues within the church.
1802 Suppression of the order.
1811-13 Demolishment of the remains of the “Padiglione” and arrangement of the facade.
1823 Restore.
1829 Decoration of the Dome and of the Chapels.
1838 Dimissal of the Theatines and entry of the Holy Trinity Canons.
1846 Arrangement of the Our Lady of Sorrows Oratory on the project of the architect P.Dupuy.
1943 The Church is damaged by the bombs.
1956-57 Restore.
1998 e 2000 Restore.
2022-23 Restoration of the High Altar and Presbytery