Italy: Sant'Agostino - 01

Facade, Church
of Saint Augustine
Rome
Italy

The first six pages here deal with the Church of Saint Augustine. The seventh page introduces two pages on the Convento (monastery) of Saint Agustine adjacent to the church.

This church is conducted by the Augustinian Order, and contains the tomb of Saint Monica, Augustine's mother.

Its various architects and contributing artists are among the most famous names in Italian history during the Middle Ages.

From about the year 1250, the first Augustinian church and monastery (convento) in Rome was at Santa Maria del Popolo.

These were located near the Porta del Popolo, the gate in the Roman wall which opened on to the famous road to Rome that was called the Flaminian Way.

This was the edge of the City of Rome. The members of the Order, however, desired to have their main house to be nearer to where the Pope and the general administration of the Church were located.

This became more possible in 1286, when the Roman nobleman Egidio Lufredi donated some houses in the area of the Field of Mars to the Order of Saint Augustine.

They immediately sought to erect a church and a priory (convento) on the site.

In a document dated on 20^th February 1287, however, Pope Honorius IV (1285-1287) granted them permission to build a convento only.

Facade of the church

He did not consent to the building of a church on the land in question because it was adjacent to the church of Saint Tryphon in the Via della Scrofa.

Instead, the Pope simply entrusted the Church of Saint Tryphon to the Augustinians.

The small Church of Saint Tryphon had several relics.

Into it the tomb of Saint Monica, the mother of Augustine, was transferred in 1430 from the Augustinian church in Ostia, the town of her death.

The Church of Saint Tryphon was a titular church, i.e., symbolically assigned to a person appointed a bishop who had not been assigned a diocese to lead.

The privilege of being a titular church was passed on the Church of Sant'Agostino when that church was built.

The older Church of Saint Tryphon was kept as an annex to the Church of Sant’Agostino until finally demolished in 1736.

The Augustinians were not totally pleased with the decision of Pope Honorious that denied them the opportunity to build a church.

The Pope died, however, on 3^rd April 1287. This was only eleven days after he had signed the document for the Augustinians.

Photo gallery:

For the Augnet photo gallery on Italy: Sant'Agostino, use the Photo Gallery button on the top banner.

ID0860

<< Previous Next >>

Italy: Sant'Agostino - 01