Santa Maria della Scala
From Churches of Rome Wiki
| Santa Maria della Scala | |
|---|---|
| | |
| English name: | Our Lady of the Staircase |
| Dedication: | Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Denomination: | Roman Catholic |
| Clergy: | Discalced Carmelites |
| Titular church | Yes, deaconry |
| Built: | 1593–1610 |
| Contact data | |
| Address: | 23 Piazza della Scala |
Santa Maria della Scala is a church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
[edit] History
The church was built 1593–1610 to house an image of the Madonna, which was originally placed on the landing of a staircase in a nearby private house. A deformed child whose mother often prayed before the image was cured, and the church was built in honour of Our Lady.
The church is served by the Discalced Carmelites.
The last titular deacon of the church was H.E. François-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, who was appointed on 21 February, 2001, and died on 16 September 2002.
[edit] Exterior
Adjacent to the church is a monastery famous for its 17th century farmacy, where the furnishings and equipment has been preserved. It used to supply the papal court.
[edit] Interior
The vaults of the nave, choir and left arm of the transept are decorated with painting intended to resemble mouldings; the attempt is not altogether successful.
The right arm of the transept has the real thing, a very nice example of stucco relief. The altar of St Teresa of Avila stands in the right transept, and a relic, one of her feet, is preserved here.
The miraculous image is enshrined opposite the altar of St Teresa, in the left transept.
In the chapel next to the Madonna is a statue of St John of the Cross. It is in the style of Bernini.
The high altar and baldachino were designed by Carlo Rainaldi, c. 1650. The baldachino, in the form of an impressive tempietto, has 16 slender Corinthian columns of jasper.
Among other works of art in the church is the Beheading of the Baptist by the Dutch painter Gerrit van Honthorst and the Death of the Virgin by Carlo Sarasceni. The latter replaced a painting by Caravaggio, because the monks felt that it lacked decorum and because they suspected that the model was a prostitute who had drowned in the Tiber.