San Giovanni Battista Decollato
San Giovanni Decollato (the Beheaded John the Baptist) is a Roman Catholic church in Rome, sited on via di San Giovanni Decollato in the Ripa rione.
History
The present church stands on the site of an ancient church called Santa Maria de fovea, Santa Maria della fossa or Santa Maria in petrocia. In 1488 it was granted to the Archconfraternity of the Beheaded John the Baptist, which began rebuilding it in 1504, gave it its present dedication and made its main feast day that of the beheading of John the Baptist.
The Archconfraternity originated in Florence and was named after the city's patron saint – its remit was to help those condemned to death, invite them to repent, give them the last rites and bury their bodies. The new church was completed in 1588 and in 1600 pope Clement VIII had a new cloister built for it, in which the mass graves of those condemned to death can still be seen – they are covered in marble and inscribed 'Domine, cum veneris iudicare, noli me condemnare' (Lord, when you come to judge, do not condemn me). The church was restored in 1727 and 1888.
External links
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Sources
- M. Armellini, Le chiese di Roma dal secolo IV al XIX, Roma 1891
- C. Hulsen, Le chiese di Roma nel Medio Evo, Firenze 1927
- F. Titi, Descrizione delle Pitture, Sculture e Architetture esposte in Roma, Roma 1763
Coordinates: 41°53′24″N 12°28′54″E / 41.8899°N 12.4818°E
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