After our unintended detour in last week’s post, we finally found our way to our destination, Santa Francesca Romana. As I mentioned before, this was a high priority for us on this pilgrimage, since St. Frances of Rome (1384-1440) is my wife’s confirmation saint. She was a soldier’s wife and a mother, then later a widow and the founder of a religious order.
This church lies in the shadow of the Flavian amphitheater (aka the Colosseum).
Above the altar is an apse mosaic with an icon of the Virgin and Child. Both date from the 12th century and both survived a fire in 1216 that destroyed most of the church. Underneath the altar is a statue of St. Frances with her guardian angel. Behind is the burial place of the saint, which we will see in more detail below.
Looking up, we see lots of blue and gold in the coffered ceiling.
The ceiling features St. Benedict (480-547) (above) and St. Frances (below).
The dates in the picture above are the date the ceiling was installed (1612) and when it underwent restoration (1867). Frances is almost always depicted with her guardian angel, who reportedly held a lantern for her as she would walk after dark on her missions of mercy. This led to her being made the patroness of automobile drivers by Pius XI in 1925.
The church currently has three side altars. Above we see St. Benedict’s altar, with a painting portraying St. Benedict (center), St. Frances and her angel (left), the Holy Roman Emperor Henry II (973-1024) (right), and an Olivetan monk. Henry desired to abdicate his throne and enter a Benedictine monastery, but was unable to do so. He was declared the patron of Benedictine oblates by Pius X.
There is a side altar to St. Frances as well. The painting above shows the saint holding the infant Jesus while the Virgin Mary looks on.
The altar above has a painting of St. Bernard Tolomei (1272-1348) aiding a plague victim. He founded the Congregation of the Blessed Virgin of Monte Oliveto (the Olivetans), which used the Rule of St. Benedict. Frances founded the Olivetan Oblates of Mary, a confraternity of pious women under the authority of the Olivetan monks of the Abbey of Santa Maria Nova in Rome. They were neither cloistered nor bound by formal vows, so they followed Frances’ pattern of combining a life of prayer with answering the needs of their society.
The church also has the tomb of Pope Gregory XI (1329-1378) which was erected here in 1584 by the Roman senate and people. He was the last French pope and he returned the papacy to Rome after its 70 year “Avignon captivity.” The relief above the tomb depicts the papal return to Rome through the St. Paolo gate. St. Catherine of Siena, who convinced the Pope to return, is also pictured. Gregory XI requested to be buried in this church, since it had been his church as a cardinal.
Taking the steps on either side of the altar, you descend to the crypt where the Saint is buried.
In her tomb, St. Frances is holding her breviary and above is a mosaic depicting St. Paul, St. Benedict, and Mary Magdalene.
On the back wall facing the tomb is the relief of St. Frances with her guardian angel.
This was a very moving and beautiful church and it was the only church we visited in Rome that had Gregorian chant playing in the background. It made for a nice time of reflection and prayer.
Grace & peace,
Chris