According to some hypotheses, the sign derives from a temple dedicated to Minerva, goddess of wisdom, which stood where the church of San Cristoforo is now located, whose statue was holding an owl. Rather imaginative hypothesis as no traces or memories of this temple have ever been found and the uncertain and almost non-existent news about it would place it in the area of the Duomo.
A red and black badge with a crowned owlet. Two shields at its sides. On the right shield is written U, on the left one the letter M (Humbert I and Margherita of Savoy) in roman, capitol, golden letters, as per concession of the king and queen during their visit in 1887.
Red and black flag bordered in white.
I see through the night.
Cunning.
Shoemakers
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Saint Anthony from Padua June 13th (celebrated on he third Sunday of June)
SanMartino
"Cecco Angiolieri" - 3, vicolo del Castellare
Castellare degli Ugurgieri, 5
vicolo del Castellare, 6
Saint Anthony from Padua, built in 1930 inside the Ugurgeri Castle (Via Cecco Angiolieri) it was consecrated only after world war II.
Until 1785, the owls used, as a place of worship and meeting, the church of San Pietro in Banchi. The seat was lost due to the reform desired by "Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo", who, suppressing the Churches of the Laity Companies, including that of San Giovanni in Pantaneto, forced, to save it, the Bishop Borghesi to move the church to that Parish, while San Pietro in Banchi was deconsecrated and sold to private individuals.
Thus began a long period of precariousness for the owls who found hospitality in San Cristoforo, even if the agreement was never formalized as parochial church and patronage of the Tolomei family. It was therefore always a "temporary" venue and the presence of the Contrada, both for religious functions and for meetings, was not too appreciated by the parish priests who followed one another.
For many years it lacked a proper and dignified seat also because, starting from the end of the 19th century, the Contrada, due to the work of some managers and also for a good dose of bad luck, went into crisis and was a police station. Only after the First World War did the Civetta have a new Contrada seat. One of the first tasks was to search for a seat and an Oratory.
After the First World War, the Contrada found hospitality in the Palazzo Bichi Ruspoli Forteguerri, but in the meantime - as can be seen from the archive documents - tried to be assigned by the Curia the perpetual use of a sacred building. Unfortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful.
In August 1932, a specially elected commission communicated to the general assembly that the carpenter Agostino Semplici was willing to sell one of his premises in Via del Re (now via Cecco Angiolieri). The assembly approved and the deed was signed on December 21, 1932.
The adaptation work began almost immediately on a project by the architect Bruno Bruni. In 1934 the facade was redone which brought to light the ancient pointed arch. The works were delayed due to the victory of that year, but in 1936 the marble altar was built; the second world war stopped the adaptation and restoration works.
The troubles were not over, because, at the end of the war, it was the Curia that opposed the consecration of a place of worship located under private homes. The intervention of Giuseppe Zazzeroni, a school teacher, called to fulfill the role of Vicar of the Owl (then this could happen) solved the problem and on 5 September 1945 the Oratory was consecrated and inaugurated to coincide with the celebrations for the victory of the Palio in August .
The most important works of art contained in the Church are: the large canvas by Galgano Perpignani, datable around 1702, which depicts the Vision of Saint Anthony of Padua. The work, which after being in the original headquarters of San Pietro Buio had been transferred to San Giovanni in Pantaneto and then to Sant'Agnese a Vignano, was recovered by the Contrada which kept it in San Cristoforo until the inauguration of the Oratory.
Di Fiorenzo Joni a Saint Anthony with the Child Jesus (1947); by Vincenzo Rustici Madonna with San Carlo Borromeo and San Luigi Gonzaga (around 1620) by Leo Rossi the Blessed Pier Pettinaio. On the altar, an elegant oval frame encloses the image of Sant'Antonio da Padova painted by Galgano Perpignani in the early 1700s. Also in the Oratory is the Monument to the Fallen of the Contrada, a work by Luigi Sguazzino (1923).
The Oratory is dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua patron of the Contrada.
Previous oratories:
- Saint Peter in Banchi (from 1690 to 1785).
- Saint Cristoforo (from 1787 to 1945).
New Baptismal font, it's a external continuation of the previous font, work by the sculptor Adolfo Micheli (1963) It is locate inside the historical base, in a shell decorated by the students of the Motta di Livensa (Treviso) artisan school. This work will continue to form central element of Civetta museum.