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When in Rome…
That is a most popular saying, but truly, when in Rome, there are things you must experience.
The top of my list is gelato! Then there is the Trevi Fountain, The Vatican, countless museums and churches…the list is endless.
At some point on their trip, most visitors find themselves at St. Peter’s Basilica, usually in conjunction to a visit to the Vatican. Church lovers like me, not only find themselves in these famous sanctuaries but also in nearby parish churches.
Despite being just down the block from St. Peter’s Basilica, Santa Maria in Traspontina, a titular church, doesn’t fall too far behind in the beauty or interesting history department and is one sanctuary in the area that should be placed on any visitor’s must-do list.
When it was first constructed, Santa Maria in Traspontina, was located near the Castel San Angelo, traspontina…Italian for beyond the bridge. This church, sadly, was demolished by Pius IV to clear the line of fire for the cannons of the Castel. When plans for a new church were conceived, there was insistence by the papal artillery officers that the dome be low to avoid the previous problem, so instead, the decision was made to erect the church a short distance away, to the west of the Castel.
Construction began in 1566, by architect Sallustio Peruzzi, was continued by Ottavio Mascherino and completed by Francesco Peparelli, who also built the bell tower. Although the exterior is quite congruent to other churches in the area, it is interesting to note that the travertine used to build the façade came from demolition material from the Colosseum.
As I entered the church, I discovered it to be a wide open space, highlighted by a beautifully illustrated ceiling and dome, but devoid of the usual columns that define its spaces. The walls are richly decorated in ochre hues and painted panels depicting religious scenes, while the floors offset its golden decor with black and white patterned tiles.
The Latin cross interior is edged on either side with chapels, the most significant being the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, built in 1581 by the Marquise of the Guard Victory, Tolfa Orsini. The beautiful statue of the Madonna del Carmine, was placed in the church in 1922, blessed by Pope Pius XI and crowned by Bishop Luigi Pelizzi on the eve of the Feast of Mount Carmel in 1928. Other chapels are devoted to Saints Barbara, Canute, Albert of Trapani, Mary Magdalene De’ Pazzi, Andrew Corsini, Angelo of Sicily, Theresa of Jesus, Peter and Paul, Elijah, Our Lady of Carmel, the Pieta and the Holy Cross.
My eye was immediately drawn to the high altar. Erected as a monument to the beautiful image of the Italian-Byzantine Madonna, it was placed under a rich canopy, dating back to the 13th century (today’s canopy is a 19th century reproduction). The altar was created by local craftsmen and consecrated in 1694. What should not be missed, however is the altarpiece, Icon with the Virgin Mary and Child, which dates back to 1216, and brought from the Holy Land by the Carmelites.
While the church is known for its historical relocation and its dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is also more recently known for something else…Pachamama. Pachamama is known through the Amazon region as the pagan goddess of fertility. Worship of Pachamama gave way to the veneration of Mary after the Spanish conquest of South American and the eventual conversion of its people. Pagan statues of Pachamama were used in a ceremony during an assembly of Amazon officials in Rome and were then placed at the church’s altar to promote inclusivity…an act met with resistance by many of its faithful. Soon after, the idols were stolen and thrown into the Tiber River, an act recorded and uploaded to the internet. Pope Francis was highly criticized for his responsibility in placing the idols at the altar of the church, a place reserved for its own Icon with the Virgin Mary and Child. While the statues were recovered shortly thereafter, it is interesting to note that Santa Maria in Traspontina houses the office of Father Vincenzo Taraborelli, a Carmelite priest and one of the busiest exorcists in Rome. For those opposed to the Pachamama demon statues, maybe Santa Maria in Traspontina was the perfect place to house them…
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Santa Maria In Traspontina
- https://www.parrocchiatraspontina.it/
- Address: Via della Conciliazione 14, Rome, Italy
- Hours: 0800-1300, 1600-2000, daily
- Admission: free
- Mass Times: Sunday and Feast Days, 0800, 0930, 1100, 1215, 1830. Daily, 0730, 0900, 1830. Rosary, daily, 1800.