1586 for
Bishop Bartolomeo Ferratini
In 1626
Urban VIII Barberini (1623/44) seconded the request of Bishop Juan Baptista
Vives, one of the subsequent owners, and assigned it to the CONGREGAZIONE DI
PROPOGANDA FIDE (Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith), powerful
propaganda tool of the Church which was established in 1622 by Gregory XV
Ludovisi (1621/23)
The
congregation moved into the palace in 1633
WING ON VIA DUE MACELLI 1639/45 by Gaspare
De Vecchi (active 1628/1643) for Cardinal Antonio Barberini
FAÇADE ON PIAZZA DI SPAGNA 1644 by Gian
Lorenzo Bernini (1598/1680)
Extraordinary FAÇADE
ON VIA DI PROPAGANDA
and FAÇADE
ON VIA CAPO LE CASE
1646 by Francesco Borromini (1599/1667)
“As in the
Oratory of the Filippini the façade, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the
internal church, is at the same time the front of the church and of the palace.
Borromini continues here his studies about making the most of the available space, taking into account
the urban location of his building: the narrow Via di Propaganda Fide gives a
dramatic tone to the strong plasticity of the façade” (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano
Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)
“The
overwhelming weight of this façade produces an almost nightmarish effect.
Everything here is outside the norm. The movement of the window frames is not
dictated simply by a desire for picturesque variety, but it is set up as a
fugue, with the subject, response and variations. By these means Borromini
created a surprising and alarming palace façade that has no precedent or
followers” (Rudolf Wittkower)
Since 1967,
the congregation took the name of CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELIZATION OF
PEOPLES
In this
palace all the missionary activity of the Catholic Church is organized
In the
historical center of Rome there are large and expensive real estate belonging
to the Vatican which refer to both the congregation and the APSA, the heritage
of the Apostolic See. Added to this are the numerous extraterritorial buildings
that are part of the Vatican City State
In 2010,
Cardinal Sepe, prefect of the congregation from 2001 to 2006, was entered in
the register of suspects by prosecutors in Perugia, with the former Transport
Minister Pietro Lunardi, for inconsistencies regarding maintenance of the
façade of the Palace of Propaganda Fide. Investigations are still ongoing
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