Church of the Madonna della Difesa
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The Church of the Madonna della Difesa (it: Chiesa della Madonna della Difesa, fr: Église de Notre-Dame-de-la-Défense) is a church in Montreal's Little Italy, Canada. It was built by Italian immigrants to Montreal, specifically those from Molise, to commemorate the apparition of the Madonna in La Difesa, in [Casacalenda], Molise. It was designed by Roch Montbriant and Quebec artist Guido Nincheri. It is Romanesque in style and laid out in a Greek-cross floorplan. It was inaugurated in 1919.
It is famous for its large cupola and brick façade, and especially its frescos by Guido Nincheri. A particularly well-known fresco depicts Benito Mussolini; painted before World War II, it commemorates his signing of the Lateran Accords. A statue in front of the church commemorates "victims of all wars."
A National Historic Site of Canada, it is located at 6800 Henri-Julien Avenue at the corner of Dante Street (Jean-Talon or Beaubien metro stations) in the borough of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie.
Three priests serve at the church, Padre Luca Brancolini, Padre Giuseppe Manzini and Padre Jacques Duplouy; all are members of the Priestly Fraternity of the Missionaries of St.Charles Borromeo.
