Sant'Agostino, Rome

The Basilica of Saint Augustine of Hippo in the Campus Martius (; ), more commonly known as Sant'Agostino, is a titular church in Rome, Italy. Dedicated to Saint Augustine of Hippo, it now serves as the motherhouse of the Order of Saint Augustine. The current basilica was completed in 1483 and is notable for its Renaissance architecture and artworks by Caravaggio, Raphael, and Guercino. Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine, is buried here. On 29 October 1999, Pope John Paul II elevated the church to the rank of minor basilica.

History The former parish of Saint Tryphon in Posterula Church was built at this site in 700 A.D. and was originally dedicated to the martyr Saint Tryphon of Campsada. The Order of Saint Augustine was founded at the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome in 1244. The Augustinian friars soon desired to have their main monastery and church closer to Vatican City. The Roman nobleman Egidio Lufredi donated land near here in Campo Marzio to the Augustinian friars in 1286. On 20 February 1287 Pope Honorius IV granted the St. Tryphon in Posterula Church to the Augustinian friars.

The first building structure was commissioned by Pope Boniface VIII, was built here by the Augustinian friars in 1296-1446 right next to the St. Tryphon in Posterula Church. The construction of the second (current) basilica began in 1479. It was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV; designed by architect Baccio Pontelli (who also designed the Sistine Chapel); and funded by Cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville.S. Miranda, list of Cardinal Chamberlains of the Holy Roman Church. Retrieved: 2016-03-21. Its construction was completed in 1483. Giacomo di Pietrasanta (?-1495) built its façade by using travertine salvaged from the ruins of the Colosseum. Its façade reads the following:

Its first restoration was completed in 1763 by Luigi Vanvitelli;New Guide of Rome, Naples and Their Environs, By Mariano Vasi and Antonio Nibby, page 105. its second restoration was completed in 1870; and its most recent restoration occurred in 1998–2000.

The title of Sant'Agostino has been held by Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard since 2006. It is the station church of the first Saturday in Lent.

Artwork The 1606 painting Madonna of Loreto (also known as the Madonna of the Pilgrims) by Caravaggio is located in the first chapel on the left.John Varriano, Caravaggio: The Art of Realism (University Park, PA: Penn State Press, 2010), pp. 44-46. John T. Spike, Caravaggio: Catalogue of Paintings (New York-London: Abbeville Press, 2010), pp. 148-150. The heirs of Ermete Cavalletti (?-1602) bought the Pieta Chapel on 4 September 1603 and soon commissioned Caravaggio to paint the Madonna for their family's chapel. It was hung in 1606 at the altar in the Cavalletti Chapel (former Pieta Chapel) in place of a Pieta that was sold to Pope Paul V (formerly Cardinal Camillo Borghese).

The 1512 fresco Prophet Isaiah by Raphael is located on the third pilaster of the left nave.Restored by Daniele da Volterra, as quoted in A Handbook of Rome (1871), page 128. It was part of the funerary monument of Johannes Goritz (1455–1527; also known as Janus Corycius). Isaiah holds a Hebrew scroll stating: "Open the doors, so that the people who believe may enter." (Isaiah 26:2–3) The statue Saint Anne and Virgin with Child (1512) by Andrea Sansovino is located below Raphael's Isaiah.

The 1521 sculpture Madonna del Parto (Our Lady of Childbirth) by Jacopo Sansovino is based, according to a legend, on an ancient statue of Agrippina holding Nero in her arms, is reputed by tradition to work miracles in childbirth. It is located in a niche to the right of the entrance and is surrounded by thank-offerings of flowers and candles.

The 1588 frescoes of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist by Avanzino Nucci are also here.

The 1616 ceiling fresco Assumption of Mary and three paintings by Giovanni Lanfranco are located in the Buongiovanni Chapel (in the left transept).

The 1600s painting Saints Augustine, John the Evangelist and Jerome by Guercino is also here.

The sculpture St. Thomas of Villanova Distributing Alms by Melchiorre Cafà and completed by his mentor Ercole Ferrata is located in the St. Thomas of Villanova Chapel (left end of transept). The etching Charity of St Thomas of Villanova by Cafà himself illustrates this same sculpture.

The 1628 High Altar was designed by Orazio Turriani. It was previously (but erroneously) thought that Gian Lorenzo Bernini had designed it.

Its nave ceiling fresco was completed in 1868 by Pietro Gagliardi; who also made the 5 prophet pillar frescoes (including Ezekiel), 6 Old Testament women & 12 scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary.

Tombs

St. Tryphon of Campsada died in AD 250 and is located under the High Altar.

Saint Monica died in 387. Her tomb was transferred here from the Santa Aurea Church in Ostia Antica, Italy on 11 April 1424. Her sarcophagus was designed by Isaia da Pisa (1410–1464) in 1455, and is now located in the Chapel of Saint Monica (left of the apse).

Norways's Archbishop Olav Trondsson died on 25 November 1474. His tombstone reads: "CVI DEDERAT SACRAM MERITO NORVEGIA SEDEM HIC TEGIT OLAVI FRIGIDVS OSSA LAPIS" (Here a cold stone covers the bones of Olav, to whom Norway rightly gave the holy chair).Fjellbu, A., et al. (eds.) (1955). Nidaros erkebispestol og bispesete 1153 - 1953. Oslo, Land og kirke. Forcella, p. 15, no. 31.

Cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville died on 22 January 1483.

Cardinal Giuseppe Renato Imperiali died on 18 February 1737. Pietro Bracci designed and sculpted his polychrome tomb in 1741.Forcella, p. 103, no. 307.

The inscriptions found in the basilica have been collected and published by Vincenzo Forcella.V. Forcella, Inscrizioni delle chiese e d' altre edifici di Roma, dal secolo XI fino al secolo XVI, Volume 5 (Roma: Fratelli Bencini, 1875), pp. 1-112. [in Italian and Latin]

List of Cardinal-Priests Pope Sixtus V (1585–1590) established the titular church of a cardinal priest in April 1587. The following is a list of cardinal-priests at Sant'Agostino since 1590: +ImageNameDatesNotesGregorio Petrocchini23 Mar 1590 – 28 May 1608Transferred to Santa Maria in Trastevere10 Dec 1608 – 17 Nov 1624DiedBerlinghiero Gessi19 Jul 1627 – 6 Apr 1639DiedOttaviano Raggi10 Feb 1642 – 31 Dec 1643DiedNiccolò Albergati-Ludovisi24 Apr 1645 – 25 Jun 1646Transferred to Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei MartiriFabrizio Savelli16 Dec 1647 – 26 Feb 1659DiedAntonio Bichi1 Dec 1659 – 14 Nov 1667Transferred to Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei MartiriFederico Borromeo23 Feb 1671 – 8 Aug 1672Transferred to Sant'Agnese fuori le muraFrancesco Lorenzo Brancati di Lauria22 Sept 1681 – 1 Dec 1681Transferred to Santi Apostoli7 Jul 1687 – 24 Jun 1694DiedHenry Noris2 Jan 1696 – 23 Feb 1704DiedCarlo Agostino Fabroni 25 Jun 1706 – 19 Sep 1727DiedAngelo Maria Querini22 Dec 1727 – 8 Mar 1728Transferred to San Marco10 May 1728 – 31 May 1729Died6 Jul 1729 – 14 Feb 1730Died8 Jan 1731 – 20 Nov 1745Died15 Dec 1745 – 31 Jan 1759Died19 Nov 1759 – 6 Apr 1767Transferred to San Pietro in VincoliMario Marefoschi12 Dec 1770 – 23 Dec 1780Died11 Apr 1785 – 9 Jun 1785Died20 Oct 1800 – 24 Jan 1820Died29 May 1820 – 12 Sept 1837DiedFriedrich, Prince of Schwarzenberg27 Jan 1842 – 27 Mar 1885DiedAntolín Monescillo y Viso10 Jun 1886 – 11 Aug 1897DiedAntonio María Cascajares y Azara24 Mar 1898 – 27 Jul 1901DiedSebastiano Martinelli9 Jun 1902 – 4 Jul 1918DiedAleksander Kakowski18 Dec 1919 – 30 Dec 1938DiedAgustín Parrado y García18 Feb 1946 – 8 Oct 1946DiedFernando Quiroga Palacios29 Oct 1953 – 7 Dec 1971DiedMarcelo González Martín5 Mar 1973 – 25 Aug 2004DiedJean-Pierre Ricard24 Mar 2006 – presentCurrent cardinal-priest

See also :Category:Burials at Sant'Agostino, Rome Late medieval domes Italian Renaissance domes

References

Sant'Agostino, Rome

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