The image of Our Lady of Visovac
The image of Our Lady in the "Holy Conversation" chapel
The image of Our Lady of Visovac
This is a classic type of “Sacred Conversation” (Sacra Conversazione). On a high throne, in front of a luxurious curtain, sits the Virgin and Child. To her left stands Saint John the Baptist, dressed in sackcloth, with a cross staff in his hand and a ribbon on which is written “Ecce Agnus Dei”. To her right is Saint Francis of Assisi, holding a crucifix and an open Gospel. Next to the throne, in a kneeling position, is the small figure of the donor – a monk, who looks devoutly towards the Virgin.
Due to multiple reproductions and a darkened layer of paint, it is difficult today to precisely determine the style of the painting and its exact origin.
For centuries, believers have sought the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in front of this gracious image of Our Lady of Visovac. The largest pilgrimage on Visovac is traditionally held on August 2nd (Our Lady of the Angels – Porcijunkula) and August 15th (Velika Gospa), when an immense multitude of pilgrims from all over Dalmatia and beyond flock to the island.
Church of Our Lady of Visovac
The original church on Visovac was built in the Gothic style during the time of the Augustinian hermits. Fra Pavao Rovinjanin noted in 1640 that it was “moderately beautiful” and decorated with simple wall paintings. During the major renovation at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century, the church was significantly extended and raised, thereby acquiring distinct Baroque features.
The main portal is simply profiled but ends with an elegant tympanum featuring a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi and an inscription marking the year of the works – 1694. The church received its final present-day appearance in 1725 during the guardianship of Fra Pavao Nikolić. A bell tower was erected next to the church, completed in 1728.
During the renovation, a valuable wall painting of the Madonna with Child was discovered in the Lady’s Chapel, behind the main altar.
The interior of the church is particularly rich and interesting, as it features two main altars: the Altar of Our Lady of Grace and the Altar of the Holy Cross. The church contains a total of six marble altars, works by Venetian master altar-makers. Among the most valuable artworks stand out the painting of Saint Francis from the workshop of Bernardo Strozzi, a large Baroque wooden crucifix by a Venetian master from the 18th century, and The Stigmatization of Saint Francis, a work by Giovanni Pitteri from 1746.
In a niche next to the Altar of the Holy Cross is a statue of Saint Paschal Baylon from the 18th century. Above the apse is the choir loft with organs built in 1771 by the Franciscan friar Petar Nakić; the organs have one manual and pedal and are still functional today. Thus, the Church of Our Lady of the Angels on Visovac combines Gothic roots, Baroque transformation, and an exceptional collection of artworks that testify to its centuries-long spiritual and cultural importance on this sacred island.