Santa Maria Mediatrice alla Borgata Gordiani is a modern parish church at Via Cori 4, in the small suburb of Borgata Gordiani in between the Via Casilina and Via Prenestina which is in the Prenestino-Labicano quarter.
It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of Our Lady, Mediatrix of Graces.
History
The parish originated with a curacy of the mother parish of Santi Marcellino e Pietro ad Duas Lauros, which was set up in 1956 and entrusted to the Company of Mary (Montfortiani). They oversaw the building of the church to a design by Carlo Stoppoini, and the establishment of the independent parish in 1960.
Diocesan clergy took over in 1989, but in 1997 the parish was entrusted to the Missionaries of St Charles Borromeo (Scalabriniani). They did not stay long, for some reason, and in 2003 passed on responsibility to the Societa del Cristo per gli Emigranti della Polonia. These in turn only stayed for five years. Since 2008, the parish has been in the charge of a single diocesan priest.
Exterior
Layout
The church is hidden up a driveway from the street, and is not easy to find. In fact, you wouldn't know that there was a church here unless informed beforehand. Look for a blue cross on the driveway gatepost.
This is a simple edifice in brick and reinforced concrete, having a central nave of three bays with side aisles. There is a deep single-bay sanctuary, and the aisles are extended to flank it. These extensions house a pair of side chapels. The former convent abuts the church on the right hand side.
The side walls are rendered in pale pink. The central nave walls have three windows on each side, but the sanctuary has none. The roofs are pitched and tiled, the sanctuary roof being lower and the side aisle roofs being single-pitched.
Façade
The single entrance has a concrete string course over it, which runs across the entire façade. The aisle and central nave rooflines have concrete beams, and the central nave frontage corners have simple pilasters with tile imposts. A rather saggy pitched and tiled canopy occupies the central nave frontage, the attachment being at the level of the tops of the aisle roofs. This canopy is supported by a pair of brick pillars crowned by a pair of metal pipes.
The patio covered by the canopy is approached by four steps on its three sides.
The frontage below the top of the canopy is in a dull pinkish red, and above it is in an orange ochre with the pilasters in the same red. There is a large central round window with a white frame.
Campanile
The engaging little campanile is the church's distinctive feature. It stands on the flat roof of the former convent, and consists of a grey cylinder divided in two by a midway cornice. The tall bell-chamber is open, and stands on a second cornice. It has four piers in the pinkish red, and is crowned by a slightly incurved conical cap.
Interior
The interior is surprisingly attractive. The aisles do not have arcades, but instead each has a deep concrete beam supported by two octagonal piers which taper downwards. These piers are clad in yellow marble, but in lieu of capitals have narrower concrete cylinders at their tops.
The walls are in an orange pink, the ceilings are in white and the trabeation beams are in light grey. The ceilings are featureless, and follow the pitches of the roofs above.
The nave floor is laid in black and white chequerboard tiles.
There is an attractive and good-quality polychrome statue of the Madonna and Child.
The little chapels at the ends of the aisles are dedicated to St Joseph to the left, and the Sacred Heart to the right. They contain polychrome statues in front of walls in textured golden yellow. The former altars (if they existed) have been removed.
Sanctuary
There is no proper triumphal arch, but instead a gabled aperture leading into the sanctuary. The gable angle matches that of the ceiling above.
The side walls of the sanctuary each have a row of three identical gabled portals leading into the side chapels. These are topped by a single slightly recessed gabled panel, and this with the piers separating them are in light grey. The rest of the side walls are in the orange pink.
The back wall has a very realistic depiction of a blue sky with cumulus clouds. On this is hung a crucifix and a ceramic representation of Our Lady of Sorrows. Below them is the tabernacle, a gilded metal circle being adored by a pair of angels. The angels kneel on the top of a row of three seats for the liturgical ministers, which have replaced the altar.
The altar has been brought forward. It has a frontal of panels in majolica ceramic tiles, featuring vines, palms and peacocks with a central cross motif. The latter is replicated by a panel on the back of the central seat.
The floor is in irregularly shaped tiles in different shades of yellow with some brown, and with stripes in black.
Liturgy
Mass is celebrated:
Weekdays 18:30;
Sundays and Solemnities 11:00.
The parish has an external Mass centre at Sacro Cuore di Gesù delle Suore Riparatrici.