Founded
according to tradition at the time of Pope Sylvester I (314/355) in a house
that had already been converted into a chapel
It was
known as SCHOLA PAULI (Paul's School) for the tradition according to
which St. Paul lived here for two years. Tradition has it also that he wrote
here his letters to the Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians and to Philemon
which are part of the New Testament
The church
was home to corporations including the ones of the Cappellari (hat makers),
Vinai (wine makers), Barbieri (barbers), Cicoriari (chicory pickers) and
Vaccinari (cowmen)
Rebuilt
since 1687 by G.B. Bergonzoni (1629/92) for the
Third Regular Order of St. Francis of the Sicilian Nation
Consecrated
in 1728
FAÇADE
Finished in
1721 with a project by Giacomo Cioli (?/1734) executed by Giuseppe
Sardi (1680/1753)
1st
RIGHT - CHAPEL OF St. ROSALIA
Above the
altar “Sts. Chiara, Rose of Viterbo and Rosalia” maybe by Cristoforo Creo
Oval
painting on the right “Martyrdom of St. Erasmus” by Biagio
Puccini (1673/1721)
BETWEEN 1st
AND 2nd CHAPEL ON THE RIGHT
“Tomb of
Bishop Pietro Gioeni” d. 1761
2nd
RIGHT - CHAPEL OF St. FRANCIS
Above the
altar “St. Francis Receiving the Stigmata” 1695 by Michele
Rocca (about 1675/1751) from Parma
Formerly
erroneously attributed to Francesco Mazzola, who, just like Michele Rocca, was
nicknamed Parmigianino
3rd
RIGHT - CHAPEL OF THE CROSS
Above the altar “Bronze
crucifix” attributed to Alessandro Algardi (1598/1654)
or Pietro Bracci (1700/73)
ABOVE THE
DOOR OF THE ORATORY
Oval
painting “St. Thomas Aquinas admires St. Bonaventure who had fallen into a
trance” by Biagio Puccini
ORATORY OF
St. PAUL
Oldest area
of the church built on the ruins of the house, maybe prison, of St. Paul
Rebuilt
1931 by Antonio Muñoz (1884/1960)
Mosaic “St.
Paul” by Eugenio Cisterna (1862/1933)
MAIN ALTAR
At the
center “Conversion of St. Paul”, on the right “Martyrdom of St. Paul”, on the
left “Preaching of St. Paul” about 1701 frescoes by Luigi
Garzi (1638/1721), a pupil of Andrea Sacchi later influenced by Carlo
Maratta
“Luigi Garzi
went to Rome from Pistoia when he was very young (...) He was at the school of
Andrea Sacchi whose teachings helped to direct him towards classicism. Sacchi
in particular advised him to study the works of Raphael, Domenichino and
Nicolas Poussin. Garzi studied also other classicists Emilian painters such as
Guido Reni, and he preferred Giovanni Lanfranco above all. He was, however,
decisively influenced by Carlo Maratta, 'so that he can be considered, as a
painter, on a minor parallel line to Carlo Maratta, but with interesting
differences and anticipations of the eighteenth century' (Sestieri, 1994)”
(Gerardo Casale - Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani Treccani)
Eighteenth-century
choir made out of walnut wood
ORGAN 1763
by Hans Conrad Wehrle
(beginning eighteenth century/1771), German organ builder designer of
numerous organs for churches in Rome and in the Lazio region, including that of
St. Mary Magdalene
Marble
tabernacle for the holy oils made in 1535
3rd
LEFT - CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF GRACE
Above the
altar fresco beginning of fifteenth century “Our Lady of Grace” believed to be
miraculous, formerly at the entrance of the old church
Above the
door of the sacristy
Oval
painting “Virgin Mary delivering the Child to St. Clare of Assisi” by Biagio Puccini
2nd
LEFT - CHAPEL OF St. ANNA
Above the
altar “St. Anna receives the Child Jesus from the arms of the Virgin” by Giacinto Calandrucci (1646/1707) a pupil of Carlo
Maratta
In the
vault frescoes “Glory of St. Anna” and “Prophets” by Salvatore
Monosilio (active since 1744/d. 1776) who was also a pupil of Maratta
1st
LEFT - CHAPEL OF St. ANTHONY OF PADUA
Above the
altar “St. Anthony of Padua with the Child in his arms” by Giacinto Calandrucci
Oval
painting on the left “Miracle of the healing of the foot by St. Anthony” by Giacomo Dio
In the
aedicula of the altar “Redeemer” fragment of a larger painting by an anonymous artist of the Veneto-Lombardy area
SACRISTY
1712 Alessandro De Grandis
Vault “St.
Paul points out to St. John Chrysostom the Virgin Mary in Glory” by Ignazio Stern (1679/1748)
Walnut cabinets of 1736
Insula Romana di S. Paolo alla Regola
Ancient
Roman Apartment Block of St. Paul at the Regola
Under
PALAZZO SPECCHI, the building dating back to the sixteenth century to the right
of the church, archaeologists found in the years 1978/82 a large brick building
made out of four floors dating back to the imperial age with medieval phases of
construction
Two of the
ancient four floors are below the current street level
The
building was originally built at the time of Domitian (81/96 AD) to be used as
a warehouse, maybe the HORREA VESPASIANI, used as part of the port and
trading activities that took place along the nearby Tiber River
Two rooms
in opus latericium (concrete covered with bricks) and two rooms with
mosaic floors arranged on roads parallel to the Tiber and slightly sloping
towards the river
In the
Severan period (early third century AD), the building was renovated and new
warehouses, spacious halls and residential apartments were built. The new
structures made the building rise to four stories in height
In the
twelfth century on the ancient building a house with a tower was built, which
is still visible behind Palazzo Specchi
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