Forgotten Churches of Rome: Chiesa di Santa Rita da Cascia alle Vergini

When you think of the city of Rome and its churches we have a natural -- and understandable -- tendency to focus on, first of all, the papal/patriarchal basilicas like St. Peter's, St. Paul's, etc.  The from there, we tend to shift next to some of the minor basilicas (San Clemente for example) and some of the historically important counter-reformation and baroque jewels (Chiesa Nuova, the Gesu, S. Ignazio, etc.). All of this is perfectly understandable, but what can get lost with so many riches put before us, a veritable architectural buffet,  is that there are a lot of other gems to be found in the city, off the beaten track. 

For myself, after we get through those major and minor basilicas, and the important counter-reformation 'chiesas,' where I like to next turn my focus are the really, really small churches; churches that would be chapels inside most of these other churches. The intimacy that comes with a small space, and also the opportunity for a comprehensive programme of liturgical art, make these smaller churches often quite appealing -- or at least potentially so. 

Today's little 'chiesa' is a great example of what I am referring to. It is the church of St. Rita of Cascia, Chiesa di Santa Rita de Cascia alle Vergini.  The first church on this site was built in 1515 -- originally dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin -- but the present structure dates from the 1630's and was built by the architect Domenica Castelli for the Augustinians. It was only in the twentieth century that it was rededicated to St. Rita of Cascia. 

The facade of the church was designed by Mattia di Rossi. It has a very quaint, inviting character.

Like many churches in Rome though, the interior is where the church especially shines.

First off, a bit about the layout. It follows a cross-in-square plan -- the plan that is traditionally used by churches in the Byzantine influenced East.  That gives us a spacious yet compact interior. 

In fact, so compact is the interior that we have the added benefit that no additional forward altar is installed in the church, so in that regard we are fortunate to be able to see and experience the church as the architect and artists always intended and expected it to be seen. (The one caveat here is that you will see that a lectern has been introduced where the altar rail is -- a temporary solution, or one set apart from the rail would likely have been better, but in the scheme of things it is minor and at least tastefully executed.) 

However, if you really want to be "wowed," you'll want to stand in the middle of the church and look up to see the beautiful fresco, attributed to the artist Michelangelo Ricciolini, depicting "The Glory of Paradise."   This wonderfully rich scene shows us a great crowd of saints encircling the dome and seamlessly filling the pendentives. At its apex, we see an image of the Holy Spirit with the light that pours in from the windows of the lantern becoming a part of the scene, akin to divine glory radiating out from the image of the dove.

(Source)

The lesson here for all of us is that while Rome is a city of grand basilicas, one shouldn't forget to pop into the smaller churches. You just might find yourself in a hidden Roman jewel off the beaten tourist track. 

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