Santa Barbara dei Librai
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Santa Barbara dei Librai St Barbara of the Books 186 Largo dei Librai 00186 Roma Tel. 06 71 88 626
Church dedicated to St Barbara, virgin martyr. History
This small church, also known as Santa Barbara alla Regola after the area it's in, was founded in the 11th century, in the ruins of the Theatre of Pompey; this is the place where Julius Caesar was assassinated. It was, for some reason, not consecrated until 1306. This may have been a re-consecration, but the early history of the church is not documented well enough to know with any certainty. An 11th century inscription mentions Giovani de Crescenzio and his wife Rogata as patrons of the church.
It has also been called Santa Barbara Anglorum, as the English community in Rome used it as their meeting-place for a period. They moved to a larger church when the influx of refugees grew after the Reformation. Another recorded appellation is Santa Barbara in Satro, apparently referring to two statues of satyrs found in the area in the 14th century.
Pope Julius III (1550-1555) made it a titular church; this status was revoked in 1587 by Pope Sixtus V (1585-1590). It seems to have been assigned to three cardinals in the period 1551-1571.
In 1594, it became parochial church. It had that status for only a short time, as in1601 it was granted to the Università dei Librai, an organization for bookbinders and printers.The Universitá had been founded in 1600; this is recorded in an inscription in the church. They added their patron St Thomas Aquinas to the dedication; so strictly speaking the church should be called Santi Barbara e Tommaso d'Aquino. They also restored the church in 1601.
It was rebuilt in 1680 by Giuseppe Passeri in the Baroque style. The large side chapels were added at this time.The process was financed by a member of the Universitá, Zanobio Masotti. This is recorded in an inscription on the wall, placed here by the Universitá in 1688.
The Confraternita dei Librai (formerly the Università) had it rebuilt in 1858; the architect was Bonoli.
It was deconsecrated at some time after 1878 and used as a warehouse, but has been used as a church again since 1980. It has also been restored in recent years, and now belongs to the Comunita di Santa Barbara.
It is served by diocesan clergy. Exterior
The façade, by Passeri (1680) has a doorway flanked by columns with composite capitals on the lower level. There are also stucco decorations. On the lintel is the inscription S BARBARÆ V M SACR. On the upper level is a tondo and a niche with a statue of St Barbara by Ambrogio Parisi. The statue reaches into the triangular tympanon. A building on the left has been widened, probably in the 18th century, so that it connects with the church.
An inscription below the right-hand window relates that the Universitá dei Librai bought the whole piazza in 1638 for the sum of 400 scudi. Interior
The church has a single nave with side chapels. It is richly decorated in the Baroque style.
In the cross-vault are frescoes by Monacelli of the Evangelists and personfications of Faith, Hope, Charity and Divine Love.
The 18th century painting by the high altar of The Glory of St Barbara by Luigi Garzi. It has been restored by Monacelli. The high altar itself has rich intarsia decorations.
In the first chapel on the right-hand side, the Chapel of Our Lady, is an antique wooden triptych of The Madonna with Sts John the Baptist and Michael the Archangel (possibly from 1543, but perhaps older). The chapel once belonged to the Society of the Most Holy Saviour.
The Chapel of the Crucifix is off the right arm of the transept. It has a wooden 14th century crucifix. At the foot of the crucifiz are depictions of the Madonna and St John by Luigi Garzi.
Above the entrance to the presbytery chapel is a lunette with a painting of the Martyrdom of St Barbara by Monacelli. In the chapel is another lunette, on the right-hand wall, with a painting, also by Monacelli, of the Miraculous Escape of St Barbara. Below is a painting by Garzi of The Madonna and Child and Sts Barbara and Thomas Aquinas. The other figures in the painting are members of the Universitá dei Librai. The altarpiece, by Garzi, depicts the Holy Trinity. On the left-hand wall is a lunette with a painting by Monacelli of St Stanislaus Kostka, who was once helped through the intercession of St Barbara. According to a now lost inscription referred to by Rossini, the altar was made by Giacomo, Giuseppe and Domenico Malagog. An inscription from 1306 mentioned relics kept in the chapel. Zenobio Masotti, the patron of the church mentioned above, is interred under a marble monument with a bust. The monument was erected by his heir Nicola Inghirlano.
Below that is a painting by Francesco Ragusa of The Madonna and Sts Thomas Aquinas and John of God.
Near the transept are two interesting inscriptions. The uppermost mentions Paolino Arnolfi of Lucca as responsible for the 1601 restoration. The second, dated to the 11th century, mentioned the early patrons of the church (see above). There is actually a third inscription, which is less interesting to all but historians of Roman guilds, mentioning Antonio Gherardino (died 15 May 1685), who bequeathed his estate to the Universitá.
The Specchi Chapel was founded by Francesco Orazio Specchi, son of Alessandro Specchi. A painting by Brugi depicts St Saba.
The church's organ is from c. 1600, given by an anonymous donor. It's quite small, but very interesting as a historical piece. Special notes
The feast of St Barbara is celebrated on 4 December.
The Comunita di Santa Barbara has its secratatiat at 85 Largo dei Librai, 00186 Roma, tel./fax 06 168 33 474.
