Rome in the footsteps of Sts. Peter and Paul
- June 25, 2024
- Churches, Piazza Venezia area, Vatican Area
Religion and culture are intimately linked in Rome, and this has never been truer than in this month of March, which, yes, is marked by the celebration of Easter on and around the 31st. However, for those travelers who have already experienced the Via Crucis procession at the Colosseum on Good Friday (on March 29th this year), or who are interested in something less… televised, the city has tons of events to offer. We have collected some of them, which happen to be linked to three beloved saints.
Tor de’ Specchi is an inconspicuous building in front of the stairs that lead to the Capitoline Hill – most people know it because of the splendid theatre there (Teatro della Cometa), while tourists pass by it on their way to the ruins of the Theatre of Marcellus or the Jewish Ghetto. Little do they know that once a year the doors marked with the number 40 open to the public: there stands the convent of the “Oblates”, a monastic order founded by Santa Francesca Romana, a noble woman in medieval Rome who, after the death of her husband, took up a life of prayer and charity.
The convent, still in use, is a fascinating blend of medieval and baroque architecture. Every year on March 9, parts of the convent can be visited, including the Saint’s room and the refectory (with its impressive medieval frescoes).
Address: Via del Teatro di Marcello, 32
Another building that opens to the public once a year (but read on: there may be an unpleasant surprise) is not too far from Tor de’ Specchi: Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne (not to be confused with Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, near the Termini train station) is halfway between Piazza Navona and Campo de’ Fiori, on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, and has been owned by the noble Massimo family since the Middle Ages (the Renaissance façade is the work of the famous Baldassarre Peruzzi).
March 16th marks the day in 1583 when the family asked Father Philip Neri, at that time a well-known educator, to give the last rites to the dying Paolo, the young son of Prince Fabrizio. The holy man, also known as “Pippo ‘bbono”, “Good Phil” to the Romans of the time, arrived at the palazzo too late, but continued to speak to the body of the teenager, anointing it with holy water and repeating prayers. The boy rose briefly, long enough to greet the people around him, and then died again.
The Massimo family used to open the doors of their house on the day of the miracle (March 16) so that the faithful could attend a Mass in the chapel built on the site of the miracle. This hasn’t happened for a few years, but keep an eye on the doors of the house when you pass by on Corso Vittorio… you never know! And if you feel like retracing the steps of (now) San Filippo Neri, you can read this older post or visit the so-called “Chiesa Nuova” (aka Chiesa di Santa Maria in Vallicella), which is within walking distance of many of our apartments. It was rebuilt by San Filippo Neri himself and contains the rooms where the saint lived and prayed.
Address: Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 141
or Piazza della Chiesa Nuova, 1 (for the church of Santa Maria in Vallicella)
Italy celebrates Father’s Day on a different date than most other countries, aligning it with the day dedicated to the quintessential scriptural father, Saint Joseph. It is the last day of the year to taste the delicious “bigné di San Giuseppe”, custard-filled pastries named after the saint and linked to the legend that the holy man had to work as a baker when he fled to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. The church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami has a special celebration on this day – easy to find, just above the Mamertine prison, wedged between the Altar of the Fatherland and the Fora. And if you can’t find the church… find the nearest bakery!
Address: Clivo Argentario, 1
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