Santa Francesca Romana

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Back of Santa Francesca Romana, showing the ruins of the Temple of Venus and Rome.

Santa Francesca Romana, previously known as Santa Maria Nova, is a 9th century church in Rome, situated in the Roman Forum.

The church was built in the 9th century on an oratory by Pope Paul I, and restored in the 10th century, when it was named Santa Maria Nova ("new St. Mary"), to distinguish it from the other Roman Forum church devoted to St. Mary, Santa Maria Antiqua ("ancient St. Mary"). The church underwent a major restoration in the 12th century, when the belltower was built and the apse was decorated. In the 15th century the church was devoted to Frances of Rome, whose relics are in the crypt.

The church houses the precious Madonna Glycophilousa ("our Lady of the tenderness"), an early 5th century icon from Santa Maria Antiqua.

The ancient oratory on which the current church is built was located by Pope Paul I on the place in which Simon Magus died. According to this legend, Simon Magus wanted to prove his powers as stronger than those of the apostles, and started levitating in front of Sts. Peter and Paul. The two apostles fell on their knees preaching, and Simon fell, dying. The marbles where the apostles were kept the imprints of their knees, and are kept in the south wall.

The current Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Mariae Novae is Angelo Cardinal Sodano.