Basilicas in Italy—Lazio, Marche, and Umbria—6

Does not include basilicas in the Ecclesiastical Province of Rome.

I blogged about the following churches on October 8, 2020.

• Cathedral Basilica of St. Ciriaco in Ancona, Marche.
• Cathedral Basilica of St. Floridus and St. Amantius, Citta di Castello, Perugia, Umbria
• Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Orvieto, Umbria.

Basilica of St. Benedict, Norcia, Umbria

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul IV in 1966.

The Gothic and Baroque Basilica was built in the 13th Century, if not earlier, at what is thought to be the birthplace of St. Benedict and his sister, St. Scholastica.  It has been damaged by earthquakes many times over the years, most recently in 2016.  Reconstruction was completed in 2025.

Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Suffrage, Grotto di Castro, Lazio

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul IV in 1967.

The Baroque church was built in the 17th Century to replace an 8th Century church.  The wooden statue of Our Lady of Suffrage was brought to the church in 1616.

The first picture is from a local source and the other two are from TripAdvisor.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Septimus, Jesi, Marche

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1969.

The Baroque Basilica is the cathedral for the Dioceses of Jesi.  The Diocese was established in the 6th Century.  An ancient cathedral was replaced in the 13th Century with a new cathedral.  This church was, in turn, replaced by the current building in the 18th Century.  St. Septimus, who is buried in the church, was the first bishop of the diocese.

 All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of Grace and St. Maria Goretti, Nettuno, Lazio

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

The Basilica dates to the 16th Century and houses a statue of Our Lady.  The statue and others floated ashore after an English ship, escaping persecution, sank off the coast in 1550.  St. Maria, then 11 years of age, was murdered in 1902 when resisting an attempted rape.  Her remains were transferred to this church in 1929.  The church has been renovated over the years and employs Neo-Renaissance and Modern styles.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

Cathedral of the Annunciation, Camerino, Marche

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

The basilica is the cathedral for the Archdiocese of Camerino-San Severino Marche.  The Neoclassical church was built in the 19th Century to replace an earlier church destroyed by an earthquake in 1799.  The current church was heavily damaged by a 2016 earthquake and is currently not in use.  Renovations began in 2024. 

The first two pictures are from a local source, and the last is from Wikipedia.

Basilica Co-Cathedral of St. Constantius and St. Thomas Apostle, Aquino, Lazio

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1974.

The church is the co-cathedral for the Diocese of Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo.  At least two churches served as the cathedral prior to the 18th Century.  A Baroque church was completed in 1711.  This church was heavily damaged by Allied bombing in 1944.  The current modern church was consecrated in 1963.

The first two pictures are from local sources and the last is from Wikipedia.

Basilica Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Frascati, Lazio

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1975.

 The basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Frascati.  Construction began in 1598 and the first Mass was celebrated in 1610.  This is the fifth cathedral for the Diocese which was established in the 3rd Century.  The interior was destroyed by Allied bombing in 1943 and appears sparse today.

The first two pictures are from local sources and the last is from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Christine, Bolsena, Lazio

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1976.

The basilica was consecrated in 1077.  It is noteworthy for two reasons.  First, St. Cristina of Tyre, a 3rd Century Virgin and Martyr, is buried here.  Second, a Eucharistic Miracle occurred here in 1263, immortalized by The Mass at Bossena by Raphael.  A priest had begun to doubt the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. One day he was saying Mass in this church and as he said the Words of Institution, the Host dripped Precious Blood on his hands.  This is thought to be the origin of Feast of Corpus Christi.

The first picture is from Alamy, the second from a local source, and the last two are from Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of St. Benedict, Gualdo Tadino, Umbria

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1980.

The basilica is the co-cathedral for the Diocese of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino.  The Romanesque and Gothic church was built in 1256 as the church for a Benedictine monastery.  The church has been renovated several times.

Pictures are from istock and Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Holy Cross, Serra Sant’Abbondio, Pesaro e Urbino, Marche

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1982.

The Romanesque Basilica dates to 980 and is part of a monastery now controlled by the Comaldolese monks.  The monastery was suppressed for part of the 1800s.  Dante refers to the monastery in the Devine Comedy.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Merciful Love, Collevalenza, Perugia, Umbria

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II 1982.

The Basilica was built between 1953 and 1974 in a contemporary style.  It was constructed under the orders of Mother Speranza di Gesu, foundress of the Handmaids of Merciful Love and the Sons of Merciful Love.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilicas in Italy—Lazio, Marche, and Umbria—5

Does not include basilicas in the Ecclesiastical Province of Rome.

I blogged about the following churches on October 8, 2020.

• Cathedral Basilica of St. Ciriaco in Ancona, Marche.
• Cathedral Basilica of St. Floridus and St. Amantius, Citta di Castello, Perugia, Umbria
• Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Orvieto, Umbria.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of St. Leopardus, Osimo, Marche

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1955.

The basilica is the co-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Ancona-Osimo.  The Romanesque-Gothic white stone church dates to the 8th Century.  It was enlarged in the 16th Century and was restored in the late 19th Century.  The Basilica has a separate baptismal church dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica Abbey of Our Lady of the Assumption, Casamari, Lazio

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1957.

The basilica is the church for a Cistercian abbey that was established in the 13th Century.  Napoleon suppressed the abbey in 1811, but it reopened three years later.  There are about 200 monks associated with the abbey today.  About half are in Ethiopia.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of St. Bartholomew the Apostle, Pontecorvo, Lasio

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1958.

The basilica is the co-cathedral of the Diocese of Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo.  An existing church was enlarged using a Renaissance style in the 16th Century after becoming a cathedral.  The church was mostly destroyed during the Second World War and was rebuilt in a neo-Romanesque style.  Its bronze doors are noteworthy.

Pictures are from a local source and Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Todi, Umbria

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1958.

The Basilica is the co-cathedral for the Diocese of Orvieto-Todi.  An earlier church dating to perhaps 1000 A.D. was destroyed by fire in 1190.  The current Gothic church was not completed until the 14th Century and has been renovated many times since. 

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, Anzio, Lazio

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1959.

This Romanesque church was completed in 1939, 42 years after the death of St. Teresa.

From Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Catervus, Tolentino, Marche

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1961.

The neo-classical church was built in the 13th Century to replace an earlier church.  The building was completely rebuilt after it became a cathedral for a now suppressed diocese.  The church was heavily damaged by a 2016 earthquake.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Dominic, Perugia, Umbria

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1961.

Construction began on this church in 1304 to replace a 5th Century church.  The church had fallen into disrepair by the early 17th Century and was then renovated.  Thus, the basilica has elements of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Fermo, Marche

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1962.

The Basilica is the cathedral for the Archdiocese of Fermo.  It was built in the 13th Century to replace an earlier church which had in turn replaced a Roman temple.  The interior is neoclassical and the façade is made with Istrian stone.

All pictures are from local sources.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Venantius, Martyr, Fabriano, Marche

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1963.

The Basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Fabriano-Matelica.  A church was here as early as 1047, but the current Baroque church was built in the early 17th Century.

All pictures are from local sources.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of St. Gregory the Great, Ripatransone, Marche

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1965.

The Basilica is the co-cathedral for the Diocese of San Benedetto del Tronto-Ripatransone-Montalto.  Construction mainly dates to the 17th Century, but the bell tower wasn’t completed until 1902. 

Pictures are from Dreamstime and Wikipedia.

Co-Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Montalto Marche, Marche

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1965.

The Basilica is the co-cathedral for the Diocese of San Benedetto del Tronto-Ripatransone-Montalto.  The neoclassical building dates to the 16th Century.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.