Basilicas in Italy—Lazio, Marche, and Umbria—1
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.
Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Assisi, Umbria
Considered a basilica for centuries.
The basilica was constructed in the 13th Century and has an upper church, a lower church, and a crypt. St. Francis is buried in the crypt. The church has both Romanesque and Italian Gothic architectural features. Both the upper and lower churches are decorated with frescoes by artists such as Giotto. It is the Mother Church of the Franciscans. The church suffered major damage by a 1997 earthquake but has been restored.
All pictures are from Wikipedia.
Papal Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Portiuncola, Santa Maria degli Angelic, Umbria
Considered a basilica for centuries.
A small, ruined chapel was on this site when St. Francis told by Christ to “repair my house.” Francis took the order literally at first and rebuilt the chapel. It became the first home of the Franciscans. After Francis died in 1226, pilgrims started coming to the chapel, and the current basilica was built over the chapel in the 16th Century.
From Wikipedia.
Pontifical Basilica of the Holy House of Loreto, Loreto, Marche
Considered a basilica for centuries.
The Basilica contains a structure said to be the home of the Holy Family in Nazareth. Legend says it was brought here by angels in the 1290s, but other explanations also exist. The Gothic Basilica itself was built in the 15th Century. A statue of Our Lady of Loreto burned and was replaced in 1922 with a statue made from Cedar of Lebanon wood.
From Wikipedia.
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Anagni, Lazio
Considered a basilica for centuries.
The Basilica is the cathedral for the Diocese of Anagni-Alatri. The church was built between 1072 and 1104 and has a Romanesque exterior and a Gothic-Lombard interior. Anagni served as the summer home for popes in the 12th and 13th Centuries.
All pictures are from Wikipedia.
Basilica Cathedral of St. Mary Major, Civita Castellana, Lazio
Considered a basilica for centuries.
The church is the cathedral for the Diocese of Civita Castellana and was originally built between 1185 and 1210 to replace an existing church. The existing church was restored in the 17th Century with a Baroque style although it has a Romanesque bell tower. Of note are a 4th Century Roman sarcophagus embedded in the main altar and 12th Century frescoes. Mozart played the cathedral pipe organ in 1770.
All pictures are from Wikipedia.
Co-Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Orte, Lazio
Considered a basilica for centuries.
The church is the co-cathedral for the Diocese of Civita Castellana. This Baroque church was built in the 18th Century to replace a 9th Century church.
Pictures are from a local source and Wikipedia.
Basilica of St. Paterniano, Fano, Marche
Considered a basilica for centuries.
The basilica was built between 1547 and 1558. It honors St. Paterniano, who has a 4th Century bishop. He is the patron saint of 32 countries.
Pictures are from local sources.
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Assumption and St. Benedict, Montecassino, Lazio
Considered a basilica for centuries.
The Basilica is the abbey church for the Abbey of Montecassino and the cathedral for the Territorial Abbacy of Montecassino. St. Benedict of Norcia built the first church here in 529. It was badly damaged by the Lombards and the Normans before it was rebuilt in 1071. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1349 and rebuilt in the 17th Century. The church was bombed in 1944 but was restored in 1964. St. Benedict and St. Scholastica are buried in the main altar.
All pictures are from Wikipedia.
Basilica of St. Cecilia, Acquasparta, Umbria
Considered a basilica for centuries.
This Romanesque and Renaissance church was built in the 12th Century to honor St. Cecilia, the town’s patron saint.
Pictures are from local sources.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Agapitus, Palestrina, Lazio
Considered a basilica for centuries.
The Basilica is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Palestrina. The church dates to the 12th Century and is the site of a former Roman temple and is dedicated to a 3rd Century Roman martyr.
Pictures are from Pinterest and Wikipedia.
Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary, Pesaro, Marche
Considered a basilica for centuries.
The Basilica is the Cathedral for the Archdiocese of Pesaro. A church was built here in the 6th Century, but the current Romanesque and Neoclassical building dates primarily to the 19th Century.
Both pictures are from Wikipedia.
