Santi Simone e Giuda, Rome

The entrance of the church at the top of Via di San Simone

Santi Simone e Giuda (Saints Simon and Jude) is a deconsecrated catholic church in the center of Rome, Italy, important for historical reasons.

Location

The building lies in rione Ponte, at the top of Monte Giordano, an artificial hill located southeast of Ponte Sant'Angelo, come into being in the Roman Age from the rubble originated by the nearby harbour of the marbles on the Tiber.[1] It can be reached through a staircase which is part of Via di San Simone, a side lane of Via dei Coronari overlooking the south side of the church of San Salvatore in Lauro. The church in the past could also be accessed on the southwest side, from Via della Vetrina.

History

The building dates back to the twelfth century; it was consecrated by Pope Paschal II (r. 1099–1118), and again by Pope Innocent II (r. 1130-43) in 1143 (an inscription still exists in the church).[2] Initially it was dedicated to Santa Maria de Monticellis (or in Monticello), in reference to Monte Giordano where the church was built and where had his palace Giordano Orsini, who was appointed cardinal by his brother Nicholas III Orsini (r. 1277-80), altough it is more probable the the mount's name derives from his nephew Giordano Orsini, Rome's Senatore in 1341.[1] Hülsen reports the following information about the church:

"Regarding the surname it deserves to be remembered the news handed down by Panciroli: "The Monticello was so high that in 1598 while the Tiber was flooding for these contours on the night of holy Christmas of our Lord, this remained untouched by the flood."" [3]

Later it was known as S. Maria de Monte Johannis Ronzonis, from Giovanni di Roncione (or Ronzone), Signore of Riano towards the mid of the 12th century and the first known owner of Monte Giordano.[4] The church depended on San Lorenzo in Damaso in rione Parione.[5] It was also known as Santa Maria de Curte (Ursinorum).[6]

From the 16th century until its deconsecration the church was giuspatronato of the Orsini family.[5][7]

Only after the mid of the sixteenth century it was dedicated to the Apostles Simon and Jude, but the name is older, since it was added at the mid of fifteenth century to that of the Virgin Mary.[5] During the 17th and 18th centuries the church was parish and was restored in 1720 by Pope Clement XI Albani (r. 1700-21).[5]

The church was deconsecrated and auctioned in 1902 by prince Filippo Orsini.[6][8] The northern part, with access from via di S. Simone, became in 1905 the "Alcazar" cinema,[5] then a restaurant and finally a theater [9] which, as of 2015, is not active anymore. The southern part was transformed into apartments.[5]

Description

The building is still preceded by a staircase surrounded by ancient houses, one of them bearing a property plate of the Gravina branch of the Orsini family. The church's gate frame dates from the 18th century restoration.[9] Originally the building had three naves, and was decorated with several frescoes, but after its deconsecration, remains in place only a fragment of Crucifixion of 14th century and a Madonna con Bambino e Santi of the second half of 15th century of umbro-roman school attributed to students of Antoniazzo Romano.[2][5] The church hosted several burials, whose tombstones have been moved after the deconsecration of the building to the portico of the church of San Silvestro in Capite in the rione of Trevi.[5]

Sources

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Pietrangeli (1981), p. 32
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rendina (2000), p. 345
  3. ↑ Hülsen (1927) pp. 349-350
  4. ↑ Pietrangeli (1981), p. 34
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Pietrangeli (1981), p. 22
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Delli, sub voce Via dei Coronari
  7. ↑ Baronio (1697), p. 317
  8. ↑ Shamà, Davide. "GENEALOGIA DELLA DINASTIA ORSINI, DALLE ORIGINI AD OGGI". www.solofrastorica.it. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "SS. Simone e Giuda". www.romeartlover.it. Retrieved 16 April 2015.

Coordinates: 41°54′1.2054″N 12°28′9.80″E / 41.900334833°N 12.4693889°E