Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Assisi)
Santa Maria degli Angeli (German: Our Lady of the Angels ) is a basilica located in the plain below Assisi in central Italy , around the portiuncula chapel and the death chapel of St. Francis of Assisi was built around. The world prayer meeting of many leaders of the great religions took place there twice, in 1986 and 2002 .
History and structure
The Portiuncula Chapel, which was given to St. Francis and his companions in 1208, and is venerated and visited to this day as the place of origin of the Franciscan movement , was soon unable to hold the pilgrims' masses. As early as 1221, 5000 brothers are said to have gathered here for the first annual chapter of the order . In 1226 the founder of the order died in the Capella del Transito , lying on the bare ground, as is said. The church was built at the behest of Pope Pius V between 1569 and 1679 according to a design from 1568 by the architect Galeazzo Alessi from Perugia . Only one of the two bell towers was completed; it is surmounted by the steep dome, which shows the pilgrims the way from afar. The interior is divided into three spacious naves of harmonious beauty in clear Doric shapes. After the vaults collapsed as a result of the earthquake in 1832, the church was largely rebuilt in the years 1836–1840 by L. Poletti. The portiuncula chapel remained undamaged except for its Gothic roof turret. In 1909 Pope Pius X raised the church to the status of a patriarchal basilica with a papal chapel ( Capella Papalis ) and its title was confirmed: head and mother of all churches of the entire order of the Friars Minor . The vestibule, built between 1924 and 1930 in the form of Roman baroque architecture, was designed by C. Bazzani. Guglielmo Colasanti (1889–1944) created a statue of Our Lady of gilded bronze on the gable above the facade.
Furnishing
For the Portiuncula Chapel see the relevant → main article .
Four wall paintings by F. Appiani (1757) can be seen in the fields of the dome: the clothing of St. Clare ; the portico chapel is given to St. Francis; St. Francis hears in Portiuncula the Gospel of total renunciation; St. Bonaventure is ecstatic as he writes the life of St. Francis. Significant archaeological remains have recently been found: the original choir behind the portiuncula (visible under the floor); Floors that probably belonged to the first brick monastery to be built near the portiuncula (embedded in the new crypt ). The new presbytery is the work of the architect B. Apollonj-Ghetti; the statues in gilded bronze that adorn the papal altar are by E. Manfrini, the bas-reliefs of the ambon by T. Fiedler. The sacrament chapel with the entrance from the left transept of the portiuncula is a little to the side, to invite inner gathering and prayer. In the chapels there are decorations and paintings from the 17th century by Pomarancio, Sermei and Giorgetti (both from Assisi), Salimbeni, Appiani, Maggesi and the Zuccari brothers. The Cappella del Transito , in which Francis died on the bare ground and in a borrowed habit, is accessible from the front right of the choir. The outside frescoes are from 1886, the inside by Lo Spagna around 1520. In a niche above the altar there is a statue of the saint made of majolica by Andrea della Robbia , around 1500.
Organs
The basilica has several organs . The main organ was built in 1961 by the Mascioni organ building company, reusing pipe material from the previous organ , which was built in 1932 by the organ builder Pinchi (Foligno). The instrument has 69 registers and a glockenspiel that can be played from the 1st manual and the pedal on four manuals and pedal. The actions are electric.
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Surroundings
The large square opposite the basilica, planted with trees, was created according to a plan by G. Nicolosi and wants to remind of the old oak forest that once surrounded Portiuncula.
The “long fountain” runs along the shady north side, which, as the coat of arms shows, was donated by the Medici in 1610 to refresh thirsty pilgrims with 26 water points.
The rose garden ( roseto ) is accessible from the right transept . Francis is said to have thrown himself naked into the roses, which immediately lost their thorns so as not to injure the saint. The Cappella del Roseto was painted 1506-1516 with scenes from the life of the saint.
The convent buildings house a small but not insignificant collection of early church panel paintings ( Giunta Pisano , Cimabue, etc.).
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Information on the main organ (Italian)
literature
- Georg Kauffmann : Emilia-Romagna, Marken, Umbria (Reclams Art Guide Italy, Volume IV), Stuttgart 1971, pp. 91–93.
- Klaus Zimmermann: Umbria , (DuMont Art Travel Guide), Cologne 2011, pp. 192–194
Web links
Coordinates: 43 ° 3 ′ 30 ″ N , 12 ° 34 ′ 50 ″ E
Archbasilica: St. John Lateran
Other Basilicae maiores : St. Paul Outside the Walls | St. Peter in the Vatican | Maria Maggiore in Rome |
Other papal basilicas :
St. Francis in Assisi | Mary of the Angels in Assisi St. Nicholas in Bari | Holy House in Loreto | St. Michael in Madrid | St. Anthony in Padua | Mary of the Rosary in Pompei | St. Lawrence Outside the Walls in Rome
Patriarchal basilicas : Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem | St. Mark in Venice | Assumption in Aquileia
Basilicae minores : (Lists: German-speaking countries | BeNeLux | France | Italy, Vatican, San Marino | Poland | Slovakia | Spain, Portugal | other countries )