La Difesa Church (Our Lady of the Defense)
6800 Henri-Julien Avenue
The front of the church
A church of Roman-Byzantine inspiration and characterized by small arched opening arranged horizontally, the church. This church is unlike any other in Montreal: its Basilica-style and its massive structure gives it its uniqueness. The church was designed by Guido Nincheri,, a famous Italian Quebecer artist, who spent many years working on the church and including every little detail possible. He even designed the controversial fresco that is inside the church, on top of the altar. After starting his plans in 1910, the church finally opened its doors in 1919 (Gougeon, 2006, 136).
Honour to Soldiers of all Wars
The church added to its side a statue of a soldier in 1984. That statue is to commemorate all of the Italian soldiers. Below the statue, an inscription says: “Omaggio ai caduti dei tutte le guerre” (Honour to soldiers of all wars) (Province Québec, 2011).
A Controversy Within a Church
Nincheri's controversial fresco.
ProvinceQuébec.com
Inside the church, there is a fresco representing hundreds of ecclesiastical and political figures. In 1933, Guido Nincheri created this impressive fresco to commemorate the 1929 Lateran Treaty, when the State of Vatican was created.
His fresco traces the history starting with Adam and Eve, through the patriarchs, and into the 20th Century. Nincheri represented the Pope Pius XI, who was the Roman Catholic Pope from 1922 to 1939, because he supported him. He also represented a Canadian senator in the cap and gown of the University of Ottawa.
On the right of the fresco, we can see its most controversial character, Benito Mussolini, the fascist leader that ruled Italy from 1922 to 1945. He is represented on horseback. In 1933, there was much enthusiasm for Mussolini in Montreal. As seen in the history of the Casa d’ Italia, there was a political party called Mussolini’s Fascist Party in Canada.
During World War II, the church covered up the mural. Nincheri was believed to be a fascist and he fled to Rhode Island. He returned to Montreal once the war was officially over and continued creating other ecclesiastic paintings (Province Québec, 2011).
His fresco traces the history starting with Adam and Eve, through the patriarchs, and into the 20th Century. Nincheri represented the Pope Pius XI, who was the Roman Catholic Pope from 1922 to 1939, because he supported him. He also represented a Canadian senator in the cap and gown of the University of Ottawa.
On the right of the fresco, we can see its most controversial character, Benito Mussolini, the fascist leader that ruled Italy from 1922 to 1945. He is represented on horseback. In 1933, there was much enthusiasm for Mussolini in Montreal. As seen in the history of the Casa d’ Italia, there was a political party called Mussolini’s Fascist Party in Canada.
During World War II, the church covered up the mural. Nincheri was believed to be a fascist and he fled to Rhode Island. He returned to Montreal once the war was officially over and continued creating other ecclesiastic paintings (Province Québec, 2011).