Santo Spirito in Sassia

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Santo Spirito in Sassia (Holy Spirit in Saxony) is a 12th century basilica church in Rome.

The church stands on the site of King Ine of Wessex's Schola Sacorum or Saxon School, a charitable institution for Saxon pilgrims. It was rebuilt in the 12th century.

Further reconstructions occurred during the following years:

1475 - Pope Sixtus IV commissioned joining the church to the nearby Hospital of the Holy Spirit for foundlings (which Pope Innocent III had built and whose history is given in wall-paintings in the church's sacristy) and given a bell tower
1538 - 1545 - Antonio da Sangallo the younger or Baldassare Peruzzi rebuilt the church after it had been damaged during in the Sack of Rome
1547 - An organ was added, which survives.
1585 - 1590 - Pope Sixtus V restored the exterior, giving the church its present façade by Ottavio Mascherino, inspired by a design of Sangallo). This facade has two stories, with Corinthian pillars dividing the lower one into five sections, and the upper divided into three sections. In the upper middle section is a circular window, and above that isthe coat-of-arms of Pope Sixtus V. The façade is crowned by a pediment. It is strongly reminiscent of Renaissance architecture.

In the station for the first Sunday after the octave of the Epiphany instituted by Pope Innocent III, a procession carried the veil of Veronica from San Pietro in Vaticano, with the Pope celebrating Mass in this church. Indulgences were granted to those that took part, and money was given to the poor.

[edit] Art and architecture

The church has a single nave, and 10 apsidal chapels along the sides. The counter-facade has a Visitation (1545) by Marco Pino, and a Conversion of St. Paul begun by Francesco Salviati and completed by Francesco Rubiale. The first chapel to the right in the apse, has a fresco of the Pentecost by the Florentine Jacopo Zucchi and his brother. The second chapel has an Assumption by Livio Agresti, who also painted the Trinity in the 4th chapel as well as frescoes in the third chapel. The 5th chapel has an Annunciation and an Ascent (1570) by Giuseppe Valeriano. The sacristy is decorated by stories of the Schola Saxonum by Guidobaldo Abbatini. The apse is frescoed (1583) by both Jacopo and Francesco Zucchi. The fifth chapel on the left has a Martyrdom of St. John the Evangelist by Marcello Venusti. The second and first chapels contain paintings by Cesare Nebbia, including a Coronation of the Virgin.