Ciro Lomonte, freelancer architect, has always lived inPalermo, except for a short period of residence in Milan, where he studied at the Faculty of Architecture of the local Polytechnic University (Politecnico di Milano), during the third and fourth year of his Master Degree.

While he was studying at the University, he was in contact with many students from several Faculties of Architecture in Europe. All of them were interested in making research in the field of architecture’s theory. Thanks to these contacts, many international conferences and meetings could have been organized, like in Vienna in 1986. During this conference, the participants had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Rob Krier and to visit his studio.

One of the results of those years was “L’ornamento architettonico dopo il diluvio”, written in 1998. In this work,the dissatisfaction for iconoclasm of contemporary art and architecture was explained and new possible achievements of a modernity more anchored to tradition were shown.

He graduated with a thesis on the re-design of the edges of the historical centre of Palermo. He had great interest in making town planning by paying special attention to the architectural scale. He had the opportunity to apply it when he worked for a studio in Palermo. His task was the Recovery Plan of the historical centre of Erice (Trapani). He worked on this project from 1987 to 1990.

Afterwards, he preferred to work for private customers. This kind of activity, in fact, allowed him to dedicate himself to craftsman architectural details. He worked on the renovation and re-design of private flats, workshops or laboratories. He realized also a studio for a silversmith. Since 2000 he has beenstrengthening his professional association with Guido Santoro.

In the meanwhile he was busy with activities of cultural and professional training for young people. He was a member of the direction of Centro Culturale Monte Grifone from 1988 to 1999 and he is now again member, since 2003. He has also been a member of the direction of Residenza Universitaria Segesta from 1999 to 2006. He dedicated the most of his time to this kind of activities.

In 1988 he began his research and his work in the area of sacred arts, in particular in the area of sacred architecture.He edited the Italian version of a monograph about this subject:Steven J. Schloeder, L’Architettura del Corpo Mistico, Progettare chiese secondo il Concilio Vaticano II, L’Epos, Palermo 2005.

He has also finished various liturgical renovations. The most complete of them is the parish of Maria SS. delle Grazie, Isola delle Femmine (Palermo). The design of the sanctuary in the mother church of Sancipirello gave him the opportunity to publish also an essay, written together with Guido Santoro: Liturgia, cosmo, architettura, Cantagalli, Siena 2009.

From 1990 to 1999 he was the director of Scuola di formazione Monte Grifone (now Arces). As he designs even furnishings for the worship, he asks the collaboration of the best craftsmen of sacred silversmithery. The friendship with these masters was the basis to create in 1996, inside the same School, courses for silversmiths and goldsmiths: apprentices, designers and restorers.

Since 2009 he has been a teacher in the Master Degree Course: “Architettura, Arti Sacre e Liturgia” atUniversità Europea of Rome.

In 2009 he wrote and promoted the Appeal to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the return to an authentically catholic sacred Art, a petition for those who are not satisfied with contemporary condition of arts and a beginning of a “manifesto” to foster their renaissance.

He is a member of the editorial staff of Il Covile.