THE FORMER JESUAT CONVENT

The complex of the Jesuat monastery cloisters has developed since its foundation in 1429 when Pietro Boiardi, the Bishop of Ferrara, gave permission to Giovanni Tavelli da Tossignano of the Order of the Poor Jesuats to erect “un oratorio con altare e cimitero” ( an oratory with an altar and a cemetery) in the town district (“contrada”, in Italian) of Santa Maria in Vado.

This religious order, for which Giovanni Tavelli served as a “Governatore delle Case” (a sort of housing manager) was widely popular in Ferrara and the oratory was completed in just one year, in 1430. It was then enlarged in 1445, 1451 and 1576.

Giovanni Tavelli, who would later become the Bishop of Ferrara, founded the Arcispedale Sant'Anna, which is still the name of the present town hospital.

The Jesuats, whose order was suppressed in 1668 by Pope Clemens IX, followed the rule of absolute poverty, would wear a simple cowl, sandals on their feet , and could not even enter religious orders if not under particular circumstances: in order to become Bishop of Ferrara, Tavelli received all the holy ordinations to the Episcopal one in just one night.

The protector of the Jesuats' order in Ferrara was Saint Jerome .

In 1669, the disposition of the convent was very similar to the present one, with the three cloisters and the church, which had originally been the Jesuats' Oratory ( called Oratorio dei Gesuati di San Girolamo o dei Poveri di Cristo), and that has subsequently been replaced with the present 18 th century building.

The chuch preserves the remains of Giovanni Tavelli da Tossignano, who has already been proclaimed blessed and whose sanctification process is underway.

Over the centuries the convent underwent a number of changes and alterations.

A recent and long restoration planned and performed by Chiara Montanari, has tried to recover the integrity of the original structure.

Besides the ancient cloisters, there is a series of fine decorations and notable frescoes in the corridors and rooms that have been made visible and usable again, like the Old Refectory , the fireplace room, the cellar or wood-shed, the monks' cells floor, the portals and portico.