At the behest of Pope St. Pius V, the Basilica was built between 1569 and 1679... #tuttitaly
The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, located in Assisi, was built between 1569 and 1679 at the behest of Pope Pius V to guard the chapels of the Porziuncola, the Transito, and the Roseto. Galeazzo Alessi's original project was characterized by a rigorous structural simplicity, conforming to the Franciscan ideal of poverty.
Due to the collapses of the 1832 earthquake, the basilica was partially rebuilt by Luigi Poletti (1836-1840) in the same form. At the top of the facade, raised in 1925-1930, was placed the statue of the Madonna degli Angeli, made by the sculptor Colasanti.
Inside the basilica, the essential and straightforward style highlights the most critical work of art it contains the Porziuncola. This is the small church, within whose walls St. Francis understood his vocation, welcomed Santa Chiara and the first friars, and received the Pardon of Assisi.
Also inside the basilica is the chapel of the Transit, originally the infirmary of the original convent, and between the walls of which St. Francis died on 3 October 1226.
The rose garden is to the right of the basilica's apse. According to tradition, one night, the saint, seized by strong doubts and remorse for sin, rolled around naked in the thorny rose garden. In contact with the body of the Saint, the rose garden lost all its thorns so as not to cause him any damage. Even today, beautiful roses of different colors and qualities bloom without thorns.
Then we find the Chapel of the Roses, which was initially the home of San Francesco. Under the chapel, there is a sort of cave that preserves a statue of the saint in prayer and the remains of the beams that formed the pulpit from which he announced the lavish indulgence of the Porziuncola.
Comments