Madonna Della Strada

Madonna Della Strada or Santa Maria Della Strada — Italian meaning Our Lady of the Way ("The Way" was what the earliest Christians called its community in antiquity) — is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is the patroness of the Society of Jesus religious order of the Roman Catholic Church.

The founder of the Society of Jesus, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, claimed to have been protected by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary during battle in his service as a Basque soldier. It was that intercession that inspired him to establish the religious order that would become known as the Jesuits, in order to defend the Roman Catholic Church, launching a Catholic Reformation in response to the Protestant Reformation sparked by the former Roman Catholic priest Martin Luther.

A famous painting of Madonna Della Strada from the 15th century is enshrined at the Church of the Gesu in Rome, motherchurch of the Society of Jesus.

Madonna Della Strada Chapel

Madonna Della Strada is the namesake of the chapel motherchurch of the Jesuit Province of Chicago (one of the largest Jesuit provinces) and sits on the campus of Loyola University Chicago in the community of Rogers Park. It was built on the lakefront with the waters of Lake Michigan directly at its front doorstep. The church was designed and built at a time when it was anticipated that Lake Shore Drive would be extended and pass directly in front. That project was abandoned. Historical restoration and renovation was initiated in the spring and completed in the fall of 2004.

Several chapel churches in Latin America were named after the chapel church in Chicago, as a tribute to Loyola University Chicago Jesuit and student missionaries.

The chapel underwent extensive interior renovations that were completed in the summer of 2007. Significant elements of this project include a new marble floor, new liturgical furnishings, and restoration of the art deco stations of the cross painted beneath the windows in the side walls. A new three-manual pipe organ is currently under construction by the Indianapolis organ building firm of Goulding & Wood, Inc. Installation of the organ in the rear gallery is scheduled for late summer of 2008.

Here is a brief overview of the chapel renovation:

* New air conditioning and heating systems have already been installed in the chapel.
* This renovation enhanced the original artwork throughout the chapel by adding gold leafing, plaster borders.
* Additional icons were written on the walls in the apse, ambulatory and gallery railing.
* The floor was completely replaced with an inlaid marble floor designed in the art deco style.
* Plaster moldings and capitals were be added to the supporting beams.
* The sanctuary area was enlarged and completely new liturgical furnishings were designed.
* A new immersion baptismal font was installed at the main entrance of the chapel.
* Entirely new liturgical furnishings were designed for use throughout the chapel and in support of the liturgy.
* New custom designed flexible assembly seating was installed.
* Entirely new lighting and sound systems were installed.

The renovation completed the interior grandeur of the chapel. This was done through enhancements in the artistic and architectural beauty, further developed liturgical symbolism and in making the overall interior design work in harmony with the original art deco design of the building. The renovated chapel allows for communal worship, university celebrations, private prayer and concerts. Primarily, the renovated chapel serves as the liturgical center of the University’s worshiping life, providing the university community with a spiritual refuge and accommodating the numerous liturgical styles of the university as well as the greater Catholic Church. This spectacular building speaks to the importance of a community of believers as well as to the sense of God as King.

The chapel is open Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. The chapel is also open on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. until following the evening Mass.

Masses are held on weekdays at 12 p.m.Masses on Sunday are celebrated at 10:30 a.m. 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

All are welcome to attend mass or visit the beautiful Madonna Della Strada Chapel at Loyola's Lake Shore Campus.

ee also

* Roman Catholic Marian art