Sant'Anna dei Palafrenieri
From Churches of Rome Wiki
| Sant'Anna dei Palafrenieri | |
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| English name: | St Anne of the Palafrieneri |
| Dedication: | Anne |
| Denomination: | Roman Catholic |
| Built: | |
| Architect(s): | |
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| Address: | Via di Porta Angelica 00193 Roma (Vaticano) |
Sant'Anna dei Palafrenieri is a church dedicated to St Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
[edit] History
This is the parish church of the Vatican City, and it is not open to the general public. Construction started in 1565, under Pope Pius IV, but it was only in 1572 that the process started in earnest. The architect was Vignola; after his death in 1573 his son Giacinto Barozzi took over.
The building was funded by the Confraternity of the Palafrenieri, which was founded in 1378 by Pope Urban VI as part of the Papal court.
It is served by Augustinian friars.
[edit] Interior
The interior, built to Vignola's design, is elliptical with side chapels. Later, it was re-decorated in the Baroque style by Alessandro Specchi.
The dome was designed by Francesco Novana.
[edit] Liturgy
The feast of St Anne is celebrated with great solemnity on 26 July. Until 1870, the celebration included a procession with an icon of the saint to Ponte Sant'Angelo (outside Castel Sant'Angelo); this tradition ended when Italy was unified and has not been reestablished.
