San Gregorio della Divina Pieta

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Map of the Churches of Rome

San Gregorio della Divina Pietà

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San Gregorio della Divina Pietà (St Gregory of Divine Mercy) is an 18th century former confraternity church. 

​The church, which is dedicated to Pope St Gregory the Great (r. 590-604), was restored in 1729 by the Roman architect and sculptor Filippo Barigioni (c. 1680-1753), at the behest of Pope Benedict XIII (r. 1724-30). It was then given to the Operai della Divina Pietà (Workers of Divine Mercy), which had been founded in 1679 to help families who were once well-off, but who had fallen into poverty

Alms slot

There is an alms slot on the north wall with the inscription: ELEMOSINA PER POVERE ONORATE FAMIGLIE E VERGOGNOSE (Alms for poor, honourable and embarrassed families). There is another slot on the same wall which is inscribed: MEMORIALI. This was for people to submit the names of persons or families in difficulty.

Fresco

San Gregorietto, as the church is also known (on account of its small size), stands outside what was once the Jewish Ghetto. On its facade there is a quotation from the Book of Isaiah, which is written in both Hebrew and Latin. It reads in translation: 'I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face.' (Isaiah, 65: 2-3, KJV).  

The inscription is surmounted by a rather faded fresco, which depicts Christ on the Cross flanked by St Gregory the Great and the Virgin Mary.
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San Gregorio della Divina Pietà is also known as San Gregorio a Ponte Quattro Capi, on account of its proximity to the Bridge of the Four Heads, a name given to the ancient Ponte Fabricio. 

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