Santa Francesca Romana

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Santa Francesca Romana, Rome
Santa Francesca Romana
The church of Santa Maria Nova, much better known as Santa Francesca Romana, started life as an oratory, which was built during the reign of Pope Paul I (r. 757-67) in part of the ancient Temple of Venus and Roma. 

By the end of the 10th century the oratory had been rebuilt as a church. It was called Santa Maria Nova to distinguish it from another church in the Forum dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Santa Maria Antiqua, which had fallen into ruin. Santa Maria Nova was restored by Pope Alexander III (r. 1159-81). This involved the provision of the surviving apse mosaic and the building of the fine brick bell tower. 

In 1440 Francesca Bussa de' Leoni, a wealthy Roman noblewoman, who, in 1425, had founded the Olivetan Oblates of Mary, was interred in Santa Maria Nova. On May 29th 1608, she was canonised by Pope Paul V (r. 1605-21). Following her canonisation, the interior of the church was remodelled by Carlo Lombardi (1559-1620), who also designed and built the porch and façade. 

The dedicatory inscription on the frieze of the entablature proclaims: VIRG MARIAE AC S FRANCISCAE (To the Virgin Mary and St Frances). ​
Plaque to Pope Paul V, Facade of Santa Francesca Romana, Rome
Inscription to Pope Paul V
​Above the central arch there is tablet with the inscription: PAVLO V BVRGHESIO ROMANO P M / SEDENTE / OLIVETANA CONGREGATIO SVIS / ET MONASTERII SVMPTIBVS / TEMPLVM HOC IN HANC FORMAM / CONSTRVXIT ET ORNAVIT / ANNO DOMINI MDCXV (The Olivetan congregation, with its own and the monastery's resources, built and decorated this temple in this form, during the reign of Paul V Borghese, Roman, Pontifex Maximus, in the year of the Lord, 1615). 

Above the side arches are two more inscriptions. The one on the left reads: EGO FLOS CAMPI ET LILIVM CONVALLI (I am a flower of the field and a lily of the valley), while one on the the right hand reads: QVASI OLIVA SPECIOSA IN CAMPIS (Like a beautiful olive tree in the fields).
Nave, church of Santa Francesca Romana, Rome
Nave
The interior comprises a nave with side chapels, a flat wooden coffered ceiling and a small shallow apse. 

The sanctuary, which is reached by staircases at the sides of the confessio, preserves much of its original cosmatesque floor. In the conch of the apse there is a beautiful 12th century mosaic of the Madonna and Child flanked by St James & St John on one side and St Peter & St Andrew on the other. 
Apse, church of Santa Francesca Romana, Rome
Confessio & Apse
The confessio was originally designed by Bernini and completed in 1649. However, it was altered in the 19th century, when the sculpture of St Frances and Her Guardian Angel (1866), the work of the sculptor Giosuè Meli (1816-93), was added. 
Angel by Giosuè Meli, church of Santa Francesca Romana, Rome
Angel by Giosuè Meli
The angel holds open a book on which is written: TENVISTI MANVM DEXTERAM MEAM ET IN VOLVNTATE RVA DEDVXISTI ME ET CVM GLORIA SVSCEPISTI ME (Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory, Psalm 73: 23-24, KJV). 

The relics of St Frances of Rome are to be found in the crypt. In 1925, Pope Pius XI (r. 1922-39) declared her to be the patron saint of car drivers. 

The painter Gentile da Fabriano (c. 1370-1427) was also interred in the church. However, no trace of his burial place remains.  ​​
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