Originally
built in the twelfth century
It was
known as S. Maria De Publico maybe for the nearby PORTICUS MINUCIA or, more
likely, for the nearby VILLA PUBLICA
rebuilt here by Domitian (81/96) after replacing the original one (destroyed by
the Campus Martius fire in the year 80 AD) with the Diribitorium
In the
thirteenth century it came under the patronage of the Santacroce Publicola
family who claimed a somewhat unlikely descent from the Roman gens
(extended family) of the Valerii Publicolae
Completely
rebuilt 1642/43 by Giovanni Antonio De Rossi
(1616/95) for Monsignor Marcello Santacroce, who conceived it as a private
chapel of the Santacroce family, whose symbol was the pair of pelicans
represented also in the façade
Restored in 1727 for
Prince Scipione Publicola Santacroce
The fresco
on the FAÇADE, “Assumption of the Virgin Mary” by
Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi (1606/80) from Bologna, has almost disappeared
ON THE
RIGHT
“Tomb of
Prince Scipione Publicola Santacroce” 1749 by G.B.
Maini (1690/1752) with ornamental elements executed in 1750 by Tommaso Righi (1727/1802)
ALTAR ON
THE RIGHT
Altarpiece “St.
Helena adores the Cross miraculously found on Mount Calvary” 1644 by Raffaello Vanni (1587/1673) from Siena
Helena was
the name of the mother of the patron Marcello Santacroce, and it was
furthermore believed that the merit of carrying the Cross to Rome was of
members of the Santacroce family
MAIN ALTAR
Altarpiece “Birth
of the Virgin Mary” 1644 by Raffaello Vanni
“The event
of the birth of the Virgin Mary is represented with particular effectiveness by
making a interesting fusion of images with a highly symbolic meaning, as the
angel holding a crown of stars on the head of the fledgling Virgin Mary, and
the scene of domestic life that revolves around St. Anna, lying on bed after
giving birth” (Alfredo Marchionne Gunter)
Polychrome
marble altar table made in 1727
On the
right “Four portraits in oil on copper of lay members of the Santacroce family”
On the left
“Four portraits of clergy members of the Santacroce family” 1680 by Alessandro Grimaldi son of Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi
The first
portrait of clergyman on the right is Monsignor Prospero Publicola Santacroce,
the one who introduced the use of tobacco in Rome from Portugal where he was
nuncio. Tobacco was then called Santacroce Grass
ALTAR ON
THE LEFT
Altarpiece “St.
Francis in Meditation” 1655 by Giovanni Francesco
Grimaldi (1606/80) a copy of a lost original by Annibale Carracci
ON THE LEFT
“Tomb of
the spouses Antonio Publicola Santacroce and Girolama Nari” about 1709 by Giovanni Francesco Zannoli who was inspired by the
Bolognetti monuments in the Church
of Jesus and Mary
Busts by Lorenzo Ottoni (1648/1736) with “Winged Death” by Andrea Fucigna (about 1660/1711)
Below “Confessional
“ 1708/09 by Giovenale Gauthier
“Among
other burials there is also the one of the beautiful Giulia Santacroce, who was
said to be the mistress of Cardinal de Bernis. The cardinal would have first
met her during a reception at which she showed up with an ample cleavage
emblazoned with a cross of diamonds, and he would have rather boldly said: “Princess,
I do not know if I should venerate more the Cross or the Calvary...” (Willy
Pocino)
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