St. LUCY OF THE BANNER

S. LUCIA DEL GONFALONE

Via dei Banchi Vecchi 12

Maybe end of the thirteenth century or beginning of the fourteenth century

In 1486 Pope Innocent VIII Cybo (1484/92) granted it to the Compagnia del Gonfalone (Company of the Banner)

It was rebuilt at the end of the fifteenth century and consecrated in 1511

Restorations in 1605 and in the years 1721/23

It was rebuilt again with a new FAÇADE in the years 1761/67 by Marco David (active in Rome 1754/65) for Cardinal Flavio Chigi

In 1911 it was entrusted to the Missionari Figli del Sacro Cuore Immacolato di Maria Padri or Claretiani (Missionary Sons of the Sacred Heart of Mary or Claretian Fathers)

Also known as S. Lucia della Chiavica (St. Lucy of the Sewage) for the adjacent cloaca (sewer) that used to flow into the Tiber River

INTERIOR

Decorated in the years 1859/66 for the architecture by Francesco Azzurri (1831/1901) and for the paintings by Cesare Mariani (1826/1901)

VAULT

Clearly inspired by the work of Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel:

In the central part “Episodes from the history of the Archconfraternity of the Banner: foundation, approval and charitable activity”, between the windows “Constance, Charity, Charity and Faith”, virtues inspirational for the Archconfraternity executed in the years 1863/67 by Cesare Mariani

COUNTER FAÇADE

Frescoes in the upper part “Deborah” and “Judith”, in the lower part “Architecture” and “Painting” and on the pillars “Tobias” and “Daniel” by Cesare Mariani

“Tobias and Daniel are references to St. Lucy representing respectively the healing of the eyes and the prophetic vision, thus alluding to one of the main reasons for the devotion to St. Lucy: the recovery of sight both physically and spiritually” (Daniele Ferrara)

PILLARS THAT DIVIDED THE CHAPEL

Frescoes on the right “Nehemiah” and “Ezra”, on the left “Zerubbabel” and “Jeremiah” by Cesare Mariani

“These figures of the Old Testament, referring to the issues of slavery and redemption of the Jewish people celebrate the work of the Confraternity. The figures are monumental and show evident similarities to models of Michelangelo and Raphael” (Daniele Ferrara)

1^st RIGHT - CHAPEL OF Sts. THOMAS OF VILLANOVA AND FRANCIS DE SALES

On the altar “Virgin Mary with Sts. Thomas of Villanova and Francis de Sales” 1765 by Salvatore Monosilio (known from 1744/d. 1776) from Messina in Sicily

On the right “Funerary monument of Bishop Nicholas Maria Nicolai” 1833 by Giuseppe De Fabris (1790/1860)

2^nd RIGHT - CHAPEL OF St. LUCY

Statue “St. Lucy” 1861 by Scipione Tadolini (1822/92) in an aedicula in neo-Renaissance style

On the sides frescoes “Chastity” and “Charity” by Cesare Mariani

3^rd RIGHT - CHAPEL OF Sts. PETER AND PAUL

Above the altar “St. Peter and St. Paul on the road of martyrdom” by the Sicilian Mariano Rossi (1731/1807)

“To Neoclassicism, popular when his artistic personality was already well formed and defined, Rossi granted only the choice of subjects of many of his works according to the patterns that this artistic movement considered to be in vogue, but his style of painting was not affected by the new artistic ideas. Indeed, the Neoclassical painting style was underlaid by well-defined laws that impoverished the means of the painter who, concerned exclusively with such laws, would lose sight of the problems of light, color, fresh air and movement, ending up creating cold and abstract compositions immersed in a frozen light” (Antonella Tedesco - www.abitarearoma.net/s-giuseppe-alla-lungara-e-le-opere-di-mariano-rossi)

APSE

Vault of the apse “St. Bonaventure has the vision of the Virgin Mary” by Cesare Mariani (1826/1901)

On the wall of the apse two episodes of the history of the Archconfraternity:

On the left “Giovanni Cerrone appointed prefect of Rome” and on the right “Prisoners freed by the Archconfraternity of the Banner pay homage to Pope Sixtus V Peretti (1585/90)” by Cesare Mariani

“The first episode recalls the role that, according to tradition, the Confraternity had in the peaceful ouster of Luca Savelli (usurper of power in the city during the stay of the Pope in Avignon) and in the appointment on Capitoline Hill of the wise Giovanni Cerrone. The second episode is significant for the importance that the Confraternity had under Sixtus V for the task of freeing the slaves, a subject widely covered on the walls of the nave. Mariani proves to be a skilled painter of history insisting rhetorically on the dramatic effect of the composition, a trend widespread in the artistic culture of the period that finds similarities with the contemporary operas” (Daniel Ferrara)

MAIN ALTAR

1881 Giuseppe Rinaldi

In the central aedicula “Virgin Mary of the Banner” copy maybe made​by Livio Agresti (about 1508/79) of the Madonna Salus Populi Romani in S. Maria Maggiore

In the lunette above “God Eternal Father” by Erminia Pompili Maldura

3rd LEFT - CHAPEL OF St. BONAVENTURE

Above the altar “St. Bonaventure in prayer at the feet of St. Francis of Assisi” 1765 by Giorgio Gaspare von Prenner (1720/66) from Vienna

2nd LEFT - CHAPEL OF THE CROSS

Above the altar “Wooden Crucifix” of the sixteenth century

On the sides frescoes “Our Lady of Sorrows” and “St. John Evangelist” by Paolo Mei (1831/1900) pupil of Cesare Mariani

1st LEFT - CHAPEL OF S. CHARLES BORROMEO AND OF THE BLESSED GREGORIO BARBARIGO

Above the altar “St. Charles Borromeo and the blessed Gregory Barbarigo” by Eugenio Porretti (active in the eighteenth century)

For some years contemporary paintings by various artists have been exhibited in the church

SACRISTY

Marco David (active in Rome 1754/65)

On the altar “Crucifixion” maybe by Ermenegildo Costantini (1731/91)

PALAZZETTO DEL GONFALONE (Small Palace of the Banner)

1650 and rebuilt in the second half of the eighteenth century maybe by Marco David (active in Rome 1754/65)

Now is the seat of the Ufficio per la Giustizia Minorile del Ministero della Giustizia (Office for Juvenile Justice of the Ministry of Justice)

PALACE OF THE BANNER

PALAZZO DEL GONFALONE

Via del Gonfalone 29

1827 Giuseppe Valadier (1762/1839) for Leo XII Sermattei (1823/29) as PRISON for young minors who were confined in forty cells

It was no longer used as a prison since 1854 for its limited capacity and the young prisoners were transferred to the former Monastery of S. Balbina

Museo Criminologico

Museum of Criminality

Open since 1975

Renovated in 1994 after fifteen years of closure

On display there are tools with which crimes were carried out and also instruments of pain and torture, including:

Infamous “Iron Maiden”

“Coat of Mastro Titta” the notorious Roman executioner

“Guillotine of Castel Sant'Angelo” used for the first time in 1810 during the Napoleonic domination. Only in the first three years it cut as many as 56 heads. It was also used by the Papal State from 1816. The last execution by guillotine at the behest of the Pope took place in 1870 in Palestrina

“Axe for decapitation” found near Castel Sant'Angelo

“Sword of Justice” probably the one that beheaded the poor Beatrice Cenci in 1599

Bodies of evidence of some famous robberies in Italy after World War Two

Macabre skeleton of a woman of about 30 years of age, who lived in the sixteenth century, found in 1933 in a cell tower in Poggio Catino in the province of Rieti. The identity of the woman is unknown but she was bound hand and foot and probably died of starvation

“Brain and skull of Giovanni Passannante” author in 1878 of a failed assassination attempt on the King of Italy Umberto I

“Cage of Milazzo” found in 1928 in the castle of Milazzo in Sicily with skeleton probably of the British soldier Andrew Leonard of 25 years of age. In 1806, during the Napoleonic wars, he was probably condemned for desertion to the cutting of hands and feet and he was exhibited in the cage

“Objects which belonged to the bandit Giuliano” killed in Sicily in 1950

GONFALON ORATORY

ORATORIO DEL GONFALONE

Via del Gonfalone 32a

It was built on the site of the church of S. Lucia Vecchia (S. Lucy Old) of the eighth century, also known as S. Lucia in Xenodochio or in Cantosecuto

1544/47 for the Arciconfraternita del Gonfalone (Confraternity of the Gonfalon or banner) founded, according to tradition, in 1264

Since the end of fifteenth century the Confraternity was dedicated to the organization of processions and sacred plays

They used to organize also the reenacting of the Good Friday at the Colosseum that was banned by Pope Paul III Farnese (1534/49) for the crudeness realistic and uncontrolled reactions that it gave rise to, leading even to the killing of some actors who were simulating the killing of Jesus

The scenes painted in this oratorio were probably inspired by the sacred play of Good Friday

Lower order of the FAÇADE 1576/80, higher order completed within 1663 from the project by Domenico Castelli (1582/1657)

From 1960 it was assigned to the Polyphonic Roman Choir which has its concerts here

Wooden ceiling carved in 1568 by Ambrogio Bonazzini with a central “Madonna welcomes the brothers under her cloak”

Mannerist decorations on the walls, one of the most important pictorial translation of the religious and cultural ideals accrued during the Council of Trent the requests of which are perfectly interpreted here:

“Twelve scenes of the Passion” interspersed with spiral columns and topped by “Prophets and Sibyls” 1569/75

“Large collective enterprise of devotional character to the realization of which a large group of artists participated, all formed in the mannerist style. In their works one can distinguish a slow but inexorable process of assimilation of the mannerist language in academic formulations designed to more clearly express devotional values in tune with the needs of piety proper of the cultural climate of the Counter-Reformation” (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)

From the end of the right wall:

“Entry of Christ into Jerusalem” 1569 by Jacopo Zanguidi aka Bertoja (1544/74) who began, coordinated and probably planned the whole cycle

“Last Supper” by Livio Agresti (about 1508/79)

“Agony in the Garden” maybe by Domenico da Modena

“Taking of Christ” maybe by Marcantonio Del Forno

“Christ before Caiaphas” by Raffaellino Motta aka Raffaellino da Reggio (1550/78)

On the entrance wall:

“Flagellation of Christ” 1573/74 by Federico Zuccari (about 1542/1609)

“Here become explicit the scattered and underground references of many sacred Mannerist figures to the stage space of the mysteries of the medieval tradition. The drama, which has Christ as its protagonist, is performed with the curtain open on the forefront of what could be legitimately defined as a dedicated place the sides of which are crowded with the audience, figures of the side scene and veritable Sprecher; and each figure has a tacit message to communicate: some target the senses to accommodate an emotional involvement and some, more thoughtful, show the emblems of ascetic religious meditations, as if to suggest to the faithful the attitude to have before the scene of the Passion commemorated on the wall for them” (Antonio Pinelli)

Above the entrance door:

“Banner with the Trinity and the Virgin Mary expanding her mantle to accommodate members of the Gonfalon” about 1575 by Cesare Rienzi

“King Solomon” by Matteo da Lecce (about 1546/1616)

“Crowning with Thorns” 1576 by Cesare Nebbia 1576 (1536/1614)

Continuing on the left wall:

“Ecce Homo” 1576 by Cesare Nebbia

“Road to Calvary” and “Crucifixion” about 1574 by Livio Agresti (about 1508/79)

“Deposition from the Cross” maybe by Giacomo Rocca (1592/1605)

“Resurrection” about 1572 by Marco Pino aka Marco da Siena (about 1525/87)

“The characteristic of the style of Marco da Siena, as it is also evident in the frescoes of the Castel Sant'Angelo, is the strong modeling, of highly plastic effect. There is also the exaggerated anatomy and the desire for contrast and opposites, typical of the imitators of Michelangelo. A significant example is provided by the Resurrection, where the secondary figures formally seek to dominate that of the Risen with strong movements” (Hermann Voss)

On the Altar:

“Crucifixion” 1557 by Roviale Spagnolo (about 1511/82)

Organ of the second half of the eighteenth century

ROOM BEHIND THE ALTAR

Three paintings of the seventeenth century from churches destroyed in the 1920s and 1930s:

“Holy Trinity with Sts. Venancio and Ansuino” by Luigi Garzi (1638/1721)

“Guardian Angel” by Giacinto Brandi (1621/91)

“Madonna of the Rosary” by an unknown artist of the school of Carlo Maratta