San Biagio della Pagnotta
San Biagio della Pagnotta[1] or San Biagio degli Armeni[2] is a church in Rome, in the Ponte district, on via Giulia, near Palazzo Sacchetti. It is dedicated to Saint Blaise and is the national church of the Armenian community in Rome.[3]
| San Biagio della Pagnotta | |
|---|---|
| Church of Saint Blaise of the Loaf | |
Chiesa di San Biagio degli Armeni | |
 | |
Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| 41°53′54″N 12°27′58″E | |
| Location | 64 Via Giulia, Ponte, Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Language(s) | Armenian |
| Denomination | Armenian Catholic Church |
| Tradition | Armenian Rite |
| History | |
| Status | national church |
| Dedication | Blaise of Sebaste |
| Relics held | throat (larynx?) of St Blaise |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | active |
| Architectural type | Baroque |
| Groundbreaking | 11th century |
| Completed | 1832 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Rome |
History
The church is frequently recorded in medieval catalogues.;[4] it originated before the 10th century, but is first recorded in a 1072 inscription preserved inside it, which records that Domenico, abbot of the adjoining monastery (now a hotel), rebuilt the church under pope Alexander II.
The church was rebuilt in the 18th century, including its present facade by Giovanni Antonio Perfetti - at its top is a fresco of Saint Blaise's miracle. The interior was rebuilt in the first part of the 19th century by Filippo Navone. It houses the relic of the throat of Saint Blaise as well as a Pietro da Cortona painting of angels adoring the Holy Sacrament and a painting of the Madonna delle Grazie which was Canonically crowned in 1671. In 1836 pope Gregory XVI gave the church to the Armenians as their national church.
References
- 'Pagnotta' derives from the small loaves which were blessed and distributed to the poor on its patron saint's feast day (3 February).
- The church is referred to by several other names in medieval documents (San Biagio gastru secuta, gatta secuta, cantu securo, clatro secura, cantu secuta, monte secuto), which all derive from the expression de cantu secuta, in reference to the caput seccutae: in the 13th century 'seccuta' was the popular name for the bank of the Tiber where via Giulia now runs, where the river left a large deposit of sand and silt.
- Biagio di Sebaste – San Biagio degli Armeni
- Cited at n.59 by the name sancto Blasio Gattusecuta in the Cencio Camerario catalogue.
Bibliography
- Mariano Armellini, Le chiese di Roma dal secolo IV al XIX, Roma 1891, pp. 355–357
- Christian Hulsen, Le chiese di Roma nel Medio Evo, Firenze 1927, pp. 214–216
- Filippo Titi, Descrizione delle Pitture, Sculture e Architetture esposte in Roma, Roma 1763, p. 421
- Claudio Rendina, Le Chiese di Roma, Newton & Compton Editori, Milano 2000
- Claudia Cerchiai, Rione V Ponte, in AA.VV, I rioni di Roma, Newton & Compton Editori, Milano 2000, Vol. I, pp. 335–382