Parish St. Mary of People

Parish Balisica St. Mary of People

Parish Basilica St. Mary of People
Augustinians - O.S.A.
Piazza del Popolo 12 – 00187 Rome
Tel. 0039-06-3610836 / Fax 0039-06-3203155

Piazza del Popolo (as it was before Valadier's intervention);
In the background you can see the Pincio (where there was Neron's mausoleum).

Pope Pasquale II (1099) cuts the tree "infested" by demons and he builds the first church dedicated to God and men's Mother.

Gregorio IX devotes the gothic church and he takes there the byzantine icon, from Sancta Sanctorum of Lateran's Scala Santa (1231).

The luminous façade (Baccio Pontelli and Meo del Caprina, or Andrea Bregno ?) represents the necessity of simplicity supported by Augustinians. Sixtus V makes it a parish church (one of the most ancient in Rome) and he numbers it among the seven churches to be visited during the Holy Years in order to obtain indulgence (in substitution of St. Sebastian during difficult periods).

Pinturicchio (at the end of 1400) worked a lot to decorate the church: see the Nativity and the Chorus vault.

Nativity

Chorus vault (particular)

Alessandro VII (Fabio Chigi), already titular cardinal of the church, in keeping with Bernini brings light and honour to the church : inside and Chigi's chapel

Inside of the church

Chigi's chapel

Caravaggio (1602) enriched the church with two masterpieces: the Crucifixion of St. Peter and the Conversion of Saulo (St. Paul).

Crucifixion of St. Peter

Conversion of Saulo (St. Paul)

Bernini and his School, renewed Rome and St. Mary of People: Abacuc, the Choir with Chigi's bearings.

Abacuc

the Choir

Sansovino (at the beginning of 1500) : the monument dedicated to Ascanio Sforza.