Sant'Agata dei Goti
From Churches of Rome Wiki
| Sant'Agata dei Goti | |
|---|---|
| | |
| English name: | St Agatha's of the Goth |
| Dedication: | Agatha |
| Denomination: | Roman Catholic |
| Type: | Titular church |
| Built: | c. 460 |
| Architect(s): | |
| Artists: | |
| Contact data | |
| Address: | 16 Via Mazzarino / Via Panisperna 00184 Roma |
| Phone: | 06 48 88 06 31 |
| Fax: | 06 48 88 06 55 |
Sant'Agata dei Goti is a church dedicated to the martyr St. Agatha. Pictures of the church at Wikimedia Commons. [1]
Contents |
[edit] History
The church was built by Ricimer for the Goths c. 460. The Goths were Arian heretics, but when Arianism had been suppressed in Rome the building was taken over by the Catholic Church, in 592 or 593, and reconsecrated by Pope St Gregory the Great. It was restored in the 16th and 17th century. It's the only Arian church that has been preserved in Rome.
It was restored in the 9th century, and a Benedictine monastery was founded next to it.
The apse of the church collapsed in 1589, and it was partially rebuilt in 1633, without major changes to the building itself apart from the new apse. The small courtyard outside the church was laid out at this time.
The church has been served by the Stigmatines since 1926. Their Generalate is adjacent to it.
The current titular priest of the church is Tomáš Špidlík, who was appointed in 2003.
[edit] Exterior
The façade was rebuilt by Francesco Ferrari in 1729. The relief above the door shows St Agatha holding her severed breast on a plate; her torturers severed her breasts when she refused to renounce her faith in Christ.
If you enter from Via Mazzarino, you will go through an 17th century courtyard. From 1836 to 1926, it belonged to the Irish College.
The Romanesque campanile was built in the 12th century.
[edit] Interior
Although it was redecorated in the Baroque style and has some 19th century additions, it is still possible to see traces of the 5th century plan, which was a basilica with three naves. The granite columns separating the naves are ancient.
The fresco in the apse shows the Glory of St Agatha, made by Paolo Gismondi in the 17th century.
There is a 12th or 13th century canopy above the altar, reassembled and erected here in 1933. It has four columns of pavonazetto marble, all decorated with Cosmatesque mosaic, and a temple roof. The former canopy was destroyed in 1589; fragments can be seen in the ceiling of the main chapel on the left-hand side.
The 15th century Cosmatesque pavement in the middle of the nave has an unusual, but very nice, design. It is a very late example of the style.
The rectangular windows were installed in the 17th century at the request of the Cardinals Francesco and Antonio Barberini.
By the altar of St Agatha is a large statue of the saint.
At the end of the right aisle, you can see relics from a group of Greek martyrs, brought here from the catacombs in the 8th century.
Ricimer had a mosaic installed. This was unfortunately destroyed in 1589, when the apse collapsed.
The Greek humanist John Lascaris (died 1535) is interred in the church.
[edit] Liturgy
The feast of the Greek martyrs whose relics are preserved here is on 2 December . It is usually celebrated with an evening Mass with the liturgy of the Byzantine Catholic rite.
Other important feasts are that of St Agatha on 5 February and St Gaspar Bertoni, founder of the Stigmatines, on 12 June.
[edit] Bibliography
Sant’Agata dei Goti / edited by Roberto Spadea. Napoli : Electa Napoli, c1998. 30 pp.
S. Agata dei Goti / per C. Huelsen. Roma : P. Sansaini, 1924. 207 pp.
