| St. Maria Del Popolo Album |
| Basilica Santa Maria Del Popolo in English is St. Mary of the People. There are 12 altars in the basilica. The church was first built in 1099 and re-constructed in 1472 and completed 1477. |
| The Altar of the VIsitation. |
| The beautifully painted ceiling. |
| Monument of Maria Flaminia Odescalchi Chigi |
| Above: The interior leading to the altar. Right: The main altar has the Icon of Madonna Del Popolo. |
| The organ is on the left side of the main altar in the front of the church. |
| The Altar of the Holy Family. |
| The church facad. |
The well-known foundation legend of Santa Maria del Popolo revolves around the evil memory of Emperor Nero and
Pope Paschal II cleansing the area from this malicious legacy. As the story goes the emperor was buried after his
demise at the foot of the Pincian Hill in the mausoleum of his paternal family, the Domitii Ahenobarbi. The sepulchre
was later buried under a landslide and a huge walnut tree grew on the ruins that ″was so tall and sublime that no other
plant exceeded it in any ways.″ The towering walnut soon became the haunt of a multitude of vicious demons
harassing the inhabitants of the area and also the travelers arriving in the city from the north through Porta Flaminia:
″some were being frightened, possessed, cruelly beaten and injured, others almost strangled, or miserably killed.″ The
actions of the demonic crowd endangered an important access of the city and also upset the entire population,
causing serious concern to the newly elected pontiff, Paschal II who ″saw the flock of Christ committed to his watch,
becoming prey to the infernal wolves.″
The Pope fasted and prayed for three days and at the end of that period, exhausted, he received a vision in his dream
from the Blessed Virgin Mary who gave him detailed instructions to free the city from that scourge. On the Thursday
after the third Sunday of Lent in 1099, the Pope summoned the whole clergy and all the inhabitants of Rome and set
up an impressive procession that, with the crucifix at its head, went along the urban stretch of Via Flaminia until it
reached the infested place. There the Pope performed the rite of exorcism and then struck a determined blow at the
root of the walnut tree. The infernal creatures erupted from their haunt madly screaming. When the whole tree was
removed the remains of the emperor were discovered among the ruins and the Pope ordered to throw them into the
waves of the Tiber.
Finally liberated from the malevolent presence, that corner of Rome could be devoted to Christian worship and the
Pontiff, at the sound of praise songs, placed the first stone of an altar on the site of the horrible tree. This was
incorporated into a simple chapel which was completed in three days. The construction was celebrated with particular
solemnity: the Pope consecrated the small sanctuary in the presence of a large crowd, accompanied by ten cardinals,
four archbishops, ten bishops and other prelates. He also granted the chapel many relics and dedicated it to the
Blessed Virgin.
Pope Paschal II cleansing the area from this malicious legacy. As the story goes the emperor was buried after his
demise at the foot of the Pincian Hill in the mausoleum of his paternal family, the Domitii Ahenobarbi. The sepulchre
was later buried under a landslide and a huge walnut tree grew on the ruins that ″was so tall and sublime that no other
plant exceeded it in any ways.″ The towering walnut soon became the haunt of a multitude of vicious demons
harassing the inhabitants of the area and also the travelers arriving in the city from the north through Porta Flaminia:
″some were being frightened, possessed, cruelly beaten and injured, others almost strangled, or miserably killed.″ The
actions of the demonic crowd endangered an important access of the city and also upset the entire population,
causing serious concern to the newly elected pontiff, Paschal II who ″saw the flock of Christ committed to his watch,
becoming prey to the infernal wolves.″
The Pope fasted and prayed for three days and at the end of that period, exhausted, he received a vision in his dream
from the Blessed Virgin Mary who gave him detailed instructions to free the city from that scourge. On the Thursday
after the third Sunday of Lent in 1099, the Pope summoned the whole clergy and all the inhabitants of Rome and set
up an impressive procession that, with the crucifix at its head, went along the urban stretch of Via Flaminia until it
reached the infested place. There the Pope performed the rite of exorcism and then struck a determined blow at the
root of the walnut tree. The infernal creatures erupted from their haunt madly screaming. When the whole tree was
removed the remains of the emperor were discovered among the ruins and the Pope ordered to throw them into the
waves of the Tiber.
Finally liberated from the malevolent presence, that corner of Rome could be devoted to Christian worship and the
Pontiff, at the sound of praise songs, placed the first stone of an altar on the site of the horrible tree. This was
incorporated into a simple chapel which was completed in three days. The construction was celebrated with particular
solemnity: the Pope consecrated the small sanctuary in the presence of a large crowd, accompanied by ten cardinals,
four archbishops, ten bishops and other prelates. He also granted the chapel many relics and dedicated it to the
Blessed Virgin.
| THE LEGEND SURROUNDING THE BASILICA |
| Bronze sculpture to the left of the main altar. |