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Sant'Ambrogio della Massima (also Sant'Ambrogio alla Massima[1]) is a Roman Catholic church in rioneSant'Angelo, Rome, Italy, that perhaps dates to the 4th century. It was a convent until it became the subject of a Vatican investigation in the 19th century, when it was disbanded and repurposed as a missionary college and later an abbey church. It is said to have been associated with Saint Ambrose.[2]
The name of the church derives from the tradition that the church was built on the site of the house in which Saint Ambrose lived in Rome, before he moved to become the consul in Milan. The family home was built on the ruins of a temple to Hercules. Archeological research has discovered parts of the temple and porch beneath the current Sant’Ambrogio buildings.[3]
The name "Massima" may derive from the Cloaca Maxima, a branch of which flows nearby,[4] or from the Porticus Maximae, the long arcaded road passed in the immediate vicinity of the church.[5] The Porticus Maxima was part of a larger passageway for pilgrims to reach the tomb of Saint Peter at the Vatican,
History
According to legend, the church of Saint Mary was founded by Saint Marcellina, the older sister of Saint Ambrose, in 353. The house was also the seat of her religious community, but later became the property of a certain Maxima who, under the pontificate of Pope Leo III, had a Latin cross church with a monastery built there. It was called variously "Santo Stefano de Maxima" or "Santa Maria in Formosa".[6]
Around 1500, the church was renovated[7] and turned over to the Benedictines, who re-dedicated it to St. Ambrose. Giacomo della Porta added a new wing in 1578. In 1606, Beatrice de Torres, sister of the abbess, Olympia de Torres, and her brother Cardinal Ludovico de Torres commissioned Carlo Maderno to redesign the church.[8] It was rebuilt by Orazio Torriani incorporating the remains of the previous building. The church was abandoned during the Napoleonic Wars, but was restored under Pope Pius VII beginning in 1814.[4]
During this period the convent was inhabited by Franciscans nuns.[9] The founding abbess of the restored convent, Maria Agnese Firrao, was convicted in 1816 of "false sanctity", or pretending to be a saint, and was removed from her post and imprisoned. Despite this, she continued to direct activities at the convent via smuggled correspondence with followers there.[10] In 1859, Princess Katharina of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst, who had recently joined the convent as a novice, denounced its activities to the Holy Office, accusing mistress of novices Maria Luisa, among others, of "sexual transgressions, heretical practices and homicidal schemes".[11] Katharina noted the veneration of Firrao as well as Maria Luisa herself; the latter claimed to receive messages from Mary, and slept with several of the novices.[12] Other transgressions included alleged affairs between the women and priests. According to Katharina, when she challenged convent practices, she became the victim of an attempted poisoning. As the investigation proceeded the Vatican removed the sisters from the convent and sent Maria Luisa into "forced isolation".[13]
It emerged that the Jesuit priest who as the "spiritual father" of the nuns had been accustomed to administer the sacrament of Penance had entered into sexual relations with Maria Luisa. Styling himself Giuseppe Peters, his real name was Joseph Kleutgen, an influential German theologian. He was convicted as a heretic for his fostering of the cult of Agnese Firrao and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. Pope Pius IX reduced the sentence to two years. Later Kleutgen was instrumental in the drafting of the dogma of papal infallibility. The details of the affair became known when discovered by researchers in 1976.
In 1861 Pope Pius IX gave the building to a group of Benedictine monks; they adopted it for a missionary college and replaced its façade when it collapsed the following year.[4] Side altars were added to the church as well. After 1870, the church and the monastery were expropriated by the Italian State, but later the church and part of the convent were returned to the Benedictines. Initially, the monastery was used as a missionary college to train monks for overseas work. The church is currently an abbey and the curial house of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation.[14][15]
Architecture
The current building, parts of which date to the 17th century, is a domed basilica. It is cross-shaped, with a chapel to either side of the nave. The church includes "rich gold stucco decorations and frescos depicting the life of Mary".[16] What is now the main refectory at Sant’Ambrogio was at one point the sisters’ chapter house.[3]
^Monico, Nicolle (7 February 2014). "8 obscure churches in Rome that will take your breath away". Huffington Post Italy.
^Schaubler, Vera; Schindler, Hanns Michael (1998). Heilige und Namenspatrone im Jahreslauf. Augsburg: Pattloch Verlag. p. 77. ISBN3629008305.
Sources
Pietrangeli, Carlo (1976). Guide rionali di Roma (in Italian). Vol. Sant'Angelo. Fratelli Palombi, Roma.
Wolf, Hubert (2015). The Nuns of Sant'Ambrogio. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN9780385351928. (first published in German as: Die Nonnen von Sant'Ambrogio. 2013).
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sant'Ambrogio della Massima (Rome).
Official church homepage
January 22, 2023
sant, ambrogio, della, massima, this, article, expanded, with, text, translated, from, corresponding, article, italian, october, 2022, click, show, important, translation, instructions, view, machine, translated, version, italian, article, machine, translation. This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in Italian October 2022 Click show for important translation instructions View a machine translated version of the Italian article Machine translation like DeepL or Google Translate is a useful starting point for translations but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate rather than simply copy pasting machine translated text into the English Wikipedia Consider adding a topic to this template there are already 2 721 articles in the main category and specifying topic will aid in categorization Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low quality If possible verify the text with references provided in the foreign language article You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Italian Wikipedia article at it Chiesa di Sant Ambrogio della Massima see its history for attribution You should also add the template Translated it Chiesa di Sant Ambrogio della Massima to the talk page For more guidance see Wikipedia Translation Sant Ambrogio della Massima also Sant Ambrogio alla Massima 1 is a Roman Catholic church in rione Sant Angelo Rome Italy that perhaps dates to the 4th century It was a convent until it became the subject of a Vatican investigation in the 19th century when it was disbanded and repurposed as a missionary college and later an abbey church It is said to have been associated with Saint Ambrose 2 Sant Ambrogio della MassimaThe church located in rione Sant AngeloClick on the map for a fullscreen view 41 53 35 4 N 12 28 42 E 41 893167 N 12 47833 E 41 893167 12 47833 Coordinates 41 53 35 4 N 12 28 42 E 41 893167 N 12 47833 E 41 893167 12 47833LocationVia di Sant Ambrogio RomeCountryItalyDenominationRoman CatholicHistoryDedicationAmbroseArchitectureArchitectural typeChurchGroundbreaking4th century Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Architecture 4 Relics 5 See also 6 References 7 Sources 8 External linksEtymology EditThe name of the church derives from the tradition that the church was built on the site of the house in which Saint Ambrose lived in Rome before he moved to become the consul in Milan The family home was built on the ruins of a temple to Hercules Archeological research has discovered parts of the temple and porch beneath the current Sant Ambrogio buildings 3 The name Massima may derive from the Cloaca Maxima a branch of which flows nearby 4 or from the Porticus Maximae the long arcaded road passed in the immediate vicinity of the church 5 The Porticus Maxima was part of a larger passageway for pilgrims to reach the tomb of Saint Peter at the Vatican History EditAccording to legend the church of Saint Mary was founded by Saint Marcellina the older sister of Saint Ambrose in 353 The house was also the seat of her religious community but later became the property of a certain Maxima who under the pontificate of Pope Leo III had a Latin cross church with a monastery built there It was called variously Santo Stefano de Maxima or Santa Maria in Formosa 6 Around 1500 the church was renovated 7 and turned over to the Benedictines who re dedicated it to St Ambrose Giacomo della Porta added a new wing in 1578 In 1606 Beatrice de Torres sister of the abbess Olympia de Torres and her brother Cardinal Ludovico de Torres commissioned Carlo Maderno to redesign the church 8 It was rebuilt by Orazio Torriani incorporating the remains of the previous building The church was abandoned during the Napoleonic Wars but was restored under Pope Pius VII beginning in 1814 4 During this period the convent was inhabited by Franciscans nuns 9 The founding abbess of the restored convent Maria Agnese Firrao was convicted in 1816 of false sanctity or pretending to be a saint and was removed from her post and imprisoned Despite this she continued to direct activities at the convent via smuggled correspondence with followers there 10 In 1859 Princess Katharina of Hohenlohe Waldenburg Schillingsfurst who had recently joined the convent as a novice denounced its activities to the Holy Office accusing mistress of novices Maria Luisa among others of sexual transgressions heretical practices and homicidal schemes 11 Katharina noted the veneration of Firrao as well as Maria Luisa herself the latter claimed to receive messages from Mary and slept with several of the novices 12 Other transgressions included alleged affairs between the women and priests According to Katharina when she challenged convent practices she became the victim of an attempted poisoning As the investigation proceeded the Vatican removed the sisters from the convent and sent Maria Luisa into forced isolation 13 It emerged that the Jesuit priest who as the spiritual father of the nuns had been accustomed to administer the sacrament of Penance had entered into sexual relations with Maria Luisa Styling himself Giuseppe Peters his real name was Joseph Kleutgen an influential German theologian He was convicted as a heretic for his fostering of the cult of Agnese Firrao and sentenced to three years of imprisonment Pope Pius IX reduced the sentence to two years Later Kleutgen was instrumental in the drafting of the dogma of papal infallibility The details of the affair became known when discovered by researchers in 1976 In 1861 Pope Pius IX gave the building to a group of Benedictine monks they adopted it for a missionary college and replaced its facade when it collapsed the following year 4 Side altars were added to the church as well After 1870 the church and the monastery were expropriated by the Italian State but later the church and part of the convent were returned to the Benedictines Initially the monastery was used as a missionary college to train monks for overseas work The church is currently an abbey and the curial house of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation 14 15 Architecture EditThe current building parts of which date to the 17th century is a domed basilica It is cross shaped with a chapel to either side of the nave The church includes rich gold stucco decorations and frescos depicting the life of Mary 16 What is now the main refectory at Sant Ambrogio was at one point the sisters chapter house 3 Relics EditIn the church deposited are the relics of St Polycarp the bishop of Smyrna 17 See also EditPortals Catholicism ItalyReferences Edit Pietrangeli 1976 sub voce Rome ancient and modern and its environs Volume 2 by Jeremiah Donovan 2010 ISBN 1 174 37350 4 pages 179 180 a b Impressions of Rome Sant Ambrogio della Massima Christ in the Desert Monastery a b c Sant Ambrogio della Massima Hidden Churches of Rome Retrieved 19 February 2015 Via di S Ambrogio Roma Segreta Sant Ambrogio della Massima Turismo Roma Dipartimento Grandi Eventi Sport Turismo e Moda Chiesa di Sant Ambrogio della Massima Religiana Dunn Marilyn 1997 Convents In Gaze Delia ed Dictionary of women artists Fitzroy Dearborn p 27 ISBN 9781884964213 Wolf Hubert Die Nonnen von Sant Ambrogio 2013 pp 105 113 Wolf 2013 p 120 pp 140 142 sfn error no target CITEREFWolf2013 help Wolf 2013 p 38 56 sfn error no target CITEREFWolf2013 help Hardy Rob June 2015 Miraculous tools of corruption The Skeptic 35 2 54 55 Bethune Brian 19 January 2015 The sex cult inside a convent Maclean s 56 The Order of St Benedict Chilworth Benedictines Retrieved 1 March 2015 The Subiaco Cassinese Congregation Monico Nicolle 7 February 2014 8 obscure churches in Rome that will take your breath away Huffington Post Italy Schaubler Vera Schindler Hanns Michael 1998 Heilige und Namenspatrone im Jahreslauf Augsburg Pattloch Verlag p 77 ISBN 3629008305 Sources EditPietrangeli Carlo 1976 Guide rionali di Roma in Italian Vol Sant Angelo Fratelli Palombi Roma Wolf Hubert 2015 The Nuns of Sant Ambrogio Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group ISBN 9780385351928 first published in German as Die Nonnen von Sant Ambrogio 2013 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sant Ambrogio della Massima Rome Official church homepage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sant 27Ambrogio della Massima amp oldid 1114578328, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
