Sant'Antonio Abate all'Esquilino
From Churches of Rome Wiki
| Sant'Antonio Abate all'Esquilino | |
|---|---|
| | |
| English name: | St Anthony Abbot at the Esquiline |
| Dedication: | Anthony Abbot |
| Denomination: | Russian Catholic |
| Type: | National church |
| National church: | Russia |
| Built: | |
| Architect(s): | Vasselletti |
| Artists: | Giovanni Battista Lombardelli (ca. 1540-1592),
Nicolo Circignani (c. 1530-c. 1590) |
| Contact data | |
| Address: | Via Carlo Alberto 2 00185 Rome |
| Phone: | 06 44 86 98 58 |
Sant'Antonio Abate all'Esquilino, or the Russian Church, is the Russian national church in Rome.
Contents |
[edit] History
The church was built in 1308 next to a 5th century church, Sant'Andrea Cata Barbara. A hospital was built next to the church in 1263-66, and a French order, the Antonines, moved in. By the end of the 16th century, the old church had collapsed into a ruin.
S. Antonio was restored in 1481 during the papacy of Sixtus IV. The church was rebuilt in the 18th century, in the Baroque style. In 1877 the church was closed to worship.
In 1928 the Pontifical Institute for Oriental Studies and the Russicum, the Russian College, were built next to the church. Four years later, in 1932, Pius XI restored the facade, and the church was given to the Russian Catholics. It retains its dedication to St Anthony Abbot, but is generally known only as the Russian Church.
Before 1932, a ceremony known as the Blessing of the Beasts took place here on St Anthony's feast day, 17 January, since he is a patron of animals. This is now moved to the piazza outside Sant'Eusebio.
[edit] Exterior
The facade of the church was reconstructed under Pius XI. Most of what you see is from the 18th century restoration, but a Romanesque doorway facing Via Carlo Alberto is from the medieval church. The doorway, dating from 1269, is the work of the Vassalletto.
[edit] Interior
The interior was renovated in 1730.
The church has frescoes by Giovanni Battista Lombardelli (ca. 1540-1592) illustrating the life of S. Antonio, as well as works by Nicolo Circignani, known as Pomarancio (ca. 1520-1596).
The church is arranged according to the needs of Byzantine liturgy, with a beautiful iconostasis. These alterations were done after 1932.
[edit] Liturgy
On Saturday evenings, Solemn Vespers is sung (7 PM).
On Sundays, it is possible to attend the Divine Liturgy (Mass), prayed in the Church Slavonic language (10 AM).
[edit] Bibliography
S. Andrea Cata Barbara e S. Antonio Abbate sull'Esquilino, by Ragna Enking. Roma, Marietti, 1964. (Chiesa di Roma Illustrate, no. 83)
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