Diaconia
(building for assistance and charity to the poor, the sick and pilgrims)
dedicated to St. Paul, founded in the year 755, maybe on a previously existing
church dating back to the fourth or sixth century, built in turn on the ruins
of the PORTICO D’OTTAVIA
This
information was taken from an inscription embedded on the left wall of the
entrance room
In the
twelfth century it was dedicated to S. Angelo and was named S. Angelo in
Foro Piscium (St. Angel in the Forum of Fish) for the presence of the
nearby fish market
Restored in
1583 by Martino Longhi the Elder (1534/91) and
in 1599 by Giacomo Della Porta (1533/1602)
Other
restorations in the years 1700, 1719, 1741, 1821
Last renovation in 1864 Alessandro
Betocchi for Pius IX Mastai-Ferretti (1846/78)
“The
engineer Alessandro Betocchi, also intervened on the outside: he knocked down
the huts on the left side of the front of the Propylaeum with the aim to
restore its original appearance, he destroyed the wall that was partially
hiding the arch and carried out an excavations to bring to light the Roman
walkway. Inside he also freed the three columns and the façade of the church
was moved back from them. The façade was plastered with the aim to put even
more emphasis on the difference with the Roman ruins” (Pier Paolo Racioppi)
In 1929 the
roof with trusses was rebuilt after the collapse of the vault in 1928
Here the
Roman Jews were forced to listen to the sermons of the Jesuits who wanted to convert
them
1st
CHAPEL ON THE RIGHT
Above the
altar “Apparition of the Blessed Trinity to Sts. Cyrus and Lorenzo” by G.B. Brughi (1660/1730) pupil of Baciccio
Above the
altar “St. Andrew” maybe by Marco Tullio Montagna
(1594/1649) from Velletri, pupil of Federico Zuccari
On the
right “The Calling of St. Andrew” in 1619 by Bernardino
Cesari (1571/1622), brother of Giuseppe Cesari aka Cavalier d'Arpino
Frescoes “Stories
of St. Andrew, Evangelists and saints” about 1599 maybe by Innocenzo Tacconi (active in Rome 1607/25)
Coat of arms in the
floor in opus sectile (inlaid marble) of the University of Fishmongers who had the chapel restored in 1618.
The fish symbol is accompanied by the deer, symbol of old nobility and the
Capitoline geese, symbol of fidelity
MAIN ALTAR
“St.
Michael” 1862 copy by Angelo Augero of the
famous original by Guido Reni in S.
Maria della Concezione
Under the
altar “Early Christian sarcophagus” with relics of St. Cyrus of Alexandria
2nd
CHAPEL ON THE LEFT
Above the
altar “Madonna and Child
with Angels”
1450 maybe by Benozzo di Lese aka Benozzo Gozzoli (1420/97)
He was
called Gozzoli by Giorgio Vasari in the 1568 edition of his book
dedicated to the lives of the artists, but all the other existing documents
identify him as Benozzo di Lese
It is a
fresco that was detached from the outer wall of the church and was moved here
to be better preserved
“He worked
with Ghiberti (...), but he was born to art with Fra Angelico: it is assumed
with convincing evidence that he was his help during the work in the Convent of
S. Marco in Florence, and worked with him in March of the year 1447 in the
Vatican and in June of the same year in Orvieto, in the Chapel of S. Brizio in
the Duomo. (...) It is also likely that he helped Angelico with the frescoes in
the Chapel of Nicholas V in the Vatican painted in those years. Benozzo became
independent late, in his thirties, and always under the influence of the
mystical severity of his teacher. But also his familiarity with Ghiberti left
in him a clear pattern: that loving attention to the world around him and his
pleasant capacity of materializing Angelico's style” (Emma Micheletti -
Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Treccani)
1st
CHAPEL ON THE LEFT - CHAPEL OF THE CROSS
“Wooden
crucifix” of the sixteenth century
Above the
entrance doors of the side aisles “St. Francis Caracciolo converts a courtesan”
and “St. Francis Caracciolo adoration of the Eucharist” 1808 by Francesco Manno (1752/1831)
TO THE
RIGHT OF THE PROPYLAEUM OF PORTICO D’OTTAVIA
ORATORIO DI S. ANDREA DEI PESCIVENDOLI
(deconsecrated)
Oratory of St. Andrew of the Fishmongers
1688/89 Filippo Tittoni
Façade with
stucco restored in 1928
It was dedicated
to St. Andrew, the apostle who was a fisherman
Inside the
church “Busts of the Evangelists and of the Fathers of the Church” maybe by Lorenzo Ottoni (1648/1736) and Michel Maille aka Michele Maglia
(active in Rome in the second half of the seventeenth century)
It is
now owned by the Municipality of Rome and it is used for commercial activities
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