Santa Maria in Via
Encyclopedia
Santa Maria in Via is a basilica
church in
Rome
. The church was already built in the 9th century, but was rebuilt in occasion of a miracle to host an icon.
A church or a chapel was present in the same place in the 9th century. In 1165, it is recorded as Santa Maria in Via, whose appellative means "on the Way", with a reference to the close by Via Flaminia
.
On the site there was the house of Cardinal Pietro Capocci, with a well in the stables. On the night of 26 September 1256, the well overflowed. A picture of Our Lady was floating on the waters, which disappeared as soon as the picture was taken. Pope Alexander IV
declared it a miracle, and ordered the construction of a chapel on its place; in the chapel (the first on the right of the current church) there is still the well of the miracle.
Pope Innocent VIII
ordered the construction of the current church, which was built in 1491-1513. Restructurations were performed under Francesco da Volterra
and later by Carlo Lombardi
. The façade and portico were designed by Pietro da Cortona
(1660). The main altar was decorated by Santi Ghetti. The works were completed under Cardinal Saint Robert Bellarmine
, titular of the church, in 1604.
The Titulus S. Mariae in Via was instituted by Pope Julius III
in 1551. The first Cardinal Priest was Giulio della Cornea; among the others, Saint Robert Bellarmine and Stefano Pignatelli
. Cardinal Priest was Antonio José González Zumárraga
.
The church is served by Servite Order
since Pope Leo X
grant in 1513.
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
church in
Churches of Rome
There are more than 900 churches in Rome. Most, but not all, of these are Roman Catholic, with some notable Roman Catholic Marian churches.The first churches of Rome originated in places where Christians met. They were divided into three categories:...
Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. The church was already built in the 9th century, but was rebuilt in occasion of a miracle to host an icon.
A church or a chapel was present in the same place in the 9th century. In 1165, it is recorded as Santa Maria in Via, whose appellative means "on the Way", with a reference to the close by Via Flaminia
Via Flaminia
The Via Flaminia was an ancient Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to Ariminum on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had for travel between Etruria, Latium and Campania and the Po Valley...
.
On the site there was the house of Cardinal Pietro Capocci, with a well in the stables. On the night of 26 September 1256, the well overflowed. A picture of Our Lady was floating on the waters, which disappeared as soon as the picture was taken. Pope Alexander IV
Pope Alexander IV
Pope Alexander IV was Pope from 1254 until his death.Born as Rinaldo di Jenne, in Jenne , he was, on his mother's side, a member of the de' Conti di Segni family, the counts of Segni, like Pope Innocent III and Pope Gregory IX...
declared it a miracle, and ordered the construction of a chapel on its place; in the chapel (the first on the right of the current church) there is still the well of the miracle.
Pope Innocent VIII
Pope Innocent VIII
Pope Innocent VIII , born Giovanni Battista Cybo , was Pope from 1484 until his death.-Early years:Giovanni Battista Cybo was born at Genoa of Greek extraction...
ordered the construction of the current church, which was built in 1491-1513. Restructurations were performed under Francesco da Volterra
Francesco da Volterra
Francesco da Volterra was an Italian painter. He resided in Pisa from 1370–1372, where, from the records of the Campo Santo, he painted the History of Job on the south wall...
and later by Carlo Lombardi
Carlo Lombardi
Tenente Carlo Francesco Lombardi was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories. Postwar, he was active in his family's rice refinery, as well as in record breaking flights...
. The façade and portico were designed by Pietro da Cortona
Pietro da Cortona
Pietro da Cortona, by the name of Pietro Berrettini, born Pietro Berrettini da Cortona, was the leading Italian Baroque painter of his time and also one of the key architects in the emergence of Roman Baroque architecture. He was also an important decorator...
(1660). The main altar was decorated by Santi Ghetti. The works were completed under Cardinal Saint Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine was an Italian Jesuit and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was one of the most important figures in the Counter-Reformation...
, titular of the church, in 1604.
The Titulus S. Mariae in Via was instituted by Pope Julius III
Pope Julius III
Pope Julius III , born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, was Pope from 7 February 1550 to 1555....
in 1551. The first Cardinal Priest was Giulio della Cornea; among the others, Saint Robert Bellarmine and Stefano Pignatelli
Stefano Pignatelli
Stefano Pignatelli was an Italian cardinal.Despite the name, he was not a member of the well-known Neapolitan noble family. His father was a potter...
. Cardinal Priest was Antonio José González Zumárraga
Antonio José González Zumárraga
Antonio José González Zumárraga was an Ecuadorian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.González Zumárraga was born in Pujili, Ecuador...
.
The church is served by Servite Order
Servite Order
The Servite Order is one of the five original Catholic mendicant orders. Its objects are the sanctification of its members, preaching the Gospel, and the propagation of devotion to the Mother of God, with special reference to her sorrows. The members of the Order use O.S.M. as their post-nominal...
since Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
grant in 1513.