Tuesday, February 19, 2019

St. GREGORY OF THE DIVINE PIETY

S. GREGORIO DELLA DIVINA PIETÀ
Maybe it was originally built by Gregory VII (1073/85 )
It is mentioned in the sources for the first time in 1145
It has been called over the centuries also S. Gregorio a Ponte Quattro Capi (St. Gregory by the Bridge with the Four Heads) for its proximity to Fabricius Bridge, S. Gregorio de Ponte Iudeorum (St. Gregory by the Bridge of the Jewish) for its proximity to the Jewish Ghetto or S. Gregorietto (Small St. Gregory) to distinguish it from the larger church of St. Gregory the Great
It was built, according to tradition, over the birthplace of St. Gregory the Great (590/604) who was part of the Anici family
The ancient structures visible in the crypt under the sacristy belong, in fact, to the nearby Theatre of Marcellus
The historical events of the church intertwine with those of the Jewish community since 1555, when Paul IV (1555/59) established the Jewish Ghetto
Sold in 1727 to the Congregation of the Workers of the Divine Mercy for families who had become poor
It was rebuilt with new FAÇADE in the years 1727/29, a masterpiece by Filippo Barigioni (about 1680/1753) a pupil of Carlo Fontana
On the portal oval with fresco “Crucifixion with the Virgin and St. Gregory” 1729 by Etienne Parrocel (1696/1774)
In the cartouche dating from the first half of 1600s (engraved on a marble slab in 1858) there is a passage from the Bible in Hebrew and Latin from the Book of Consolation of Isaiah, in which the Jews are reprimanded
Restorations in 1858

POLYGONAL APSE
1934 by Antonio Muñoz (1884/1960). It is not connected to the church

VAULT
Frescoes “Glory of the Virgin Mary” and pendentives “Angels with scrolls” 1858 by Giuseppe Sereni (1823/after 1888), in place of the ruined original paintings by Etienne Parrocel

RIGHT ALTAR - ALTAR OF S. FILIPPO NERI
“Ecstasy of S. Filippo Neri at the Minerva” by Andrea Casali (1705/84), a pupil of Sebastiano Conca and Francesco Trevisani
In the altar there are the relics of the Sts. Probus and Verecondius
On the right “Gravestone in memory of the Marquis Giuseppe Origo” d. 1822 founder of the Corps of the Firefighters of the State of the Church

MAIN ALTAR
“Glory of Angels” in gilded stucco by Pietro Bracci (1700/73) that includes “Madonna and Child” by the Belgian Gilles Hallet (1620/94) copy (some believe it is the original) from the original painting by the same artist in S. Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci
Lunette above the altar “Eternal God Blessing” 1858 by Pasquale Marini (about 1660/about 1712) pupil of Carlo Maratta

LEFT ALTAR - ALTAR OF St. GREGORY THE GREAT
“St. Gregory at the soup kitchen” by Etienne Parrocel for Cardinal Corsini
“In the painting emerge the characteristic juxtaposition of masses of color, the classicism, the pictorial refinement and the delicacy of expression that distinguish the works of the French painter” (Roberta Luciani, Carla Termini)

No comments:

Post a Comment