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Santa Maria de Monserrato degli Spagnoli Our Lady of Montserrat of the Spaniards

Via de Monserrato, corner of Via di Montoro

Church dedicated to Our Lady of Montserrat, named after the Spanish shrine of the Blessed Virgin. The Spanish national church.

History

The image of the Black Virgin, which appeared in the mountains near Barcelona, is very popular in Spain. The church was built on the site of a house bought by Pope Innocent VI (1352-1362) as a hospice for Catalan pilgrims. Construction started in 1518, led by Antonio Sangallo the Younger, on orders from Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503). Because of political conflicts between Rome and Spain, and because the Borgia Alexander VI was hugely unpopular, the church was not completed before more than a century later.

St Ignatius of Loyola hung up his sword at the shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat in Catalonia, and he used to preach and catechise at this church.

The church was made a cardinalitial title on 21 October 2003. The first titular is Carlos Cardinal Amigo Vallejo O.F.M., created cardinal on the same day. Exterior

Above the door is a shrine of Our Lady sitting among rocky crags (the meaning of Montserrat being "jagged mountain"). The Divine Child cuts at the crags with a hacksaw. Interior

Many of the works of art were moved here from Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore when that church seized to function as the Spanish national church in the 17th century.

The second chapel on the left contains a painting of the same motif as the shrine above the door. It also has a reproduction of the Madonna.

The two Borgia popes, Callixtus III (1455-1458) and Alexander VI (1492-1503), are buried here after being moved from St Peter's. The monument over the two popes was erected as late as 1881.

The bust of Cardinal Pedro Foix de Montoya, a benefactor of the church, is by Bernini. It is one of his early works.

The painting of San Diodeo de Alcalà is by Annibale Caracci.

A statue of St Jerome is by Jacopo Sansovino.

In the courtyard and the side chapels are some 15th century tombs by Andrea Bregno and Luigi Capponi. Special notes

The church has been closed to the public for some time. To visit it, apply in writing to "S Maria di Monserrato, Via di Monserrato, Roma" - preferably in Italian or Spanish, but English should work as well. It should supposedly open during the Jubilee 2000.