The Basilica dei Santi Bonifacio e(d) Alessio is a basilica, rectory church served by the Somaschans, and titular church for a cardinal-priest on the

Aventine Hill The Aventine Hill (; la, Collis Aventinus; it, Aventino ) is one of the Seven Hills on which ancient Rome was built. It belongs to Ripa, the modern twelfth ''rione'', or ward, of Rome. Location and boundaries The Aventine Hill is the sou ...

in the third prefecture of central Rome, Italy. It is dedicated to

Saint Boniface of Tarsus Saint Boniface of Tarsus was, according to legend, executed for being a Christian in the year 307 at Tarsus, where he had gone from Rome in order to bring back to his mistress Aglaida (also written Aglaia) relics of the martyrs. Biography Bon ...

and (originally only) Saint Alexius. It lies on Piazza Sant’Alessio 23, near the historical gardens of St. Alexius and Via di santa Sabina.

Basilica

Founded between the 3rd and 4th centuries, it was restored in 1216 by Pope Honorius III (some columns of his building survive in the present building's eastern apse); in 1582; in 1743 designed by Giovanni Battista Nolli and in the 1750s reelaborated by Tommaso De Marchis (his main altar survives); and between 1852 and 1860 by the

Somaschi , image = SomascosEscut.jpg , image_size = 200px , caption = Coat of arms of the Somascan Fathers , abbreviation = CRS , nickname = Somascans , formation = , founder ...

, which congregation still serves it as a rectory church. The 16th century style facade, elaborated from the De Marchis phase, is built onto the medieval-style quadriportico. The church has a Romanesque

campanile A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...

. On the south side of the nave is the funerary monument Eleonora Boncompagni Borghese of 1693, to a design of Giovan Contini Batiste, and in the south transept the Chapel of Charles IV of Spain, with the icon ''

Madonna di sant'Alessio Madonna di Sant'Alessio ''(Madonna of St. Alexis; Madonna of Intercession)'' is an icon, probably of Byzantine origin, of the Blessed Virgin now in the Basilica of the Saints Bonifacio and Alexis on the Aventine Hill in Rome, Italy. It is on ...

'', an

Edessa Edessa (; grc, Ἔδεσσα, Édessa) was an ancient city (''polis'') in Upper Mesopotamia, founded during the Hellenistic period by King Seleucus I Nicator (), founder of the Seleucid Empire. It later became capital of the Kingdom of Osroene ...

icon of the Intercession of the

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

dating from the 12-13th centuries, thought to have been painted by

St Luke Luke the Evangelist (Latin: '' Lucas''; grc, Λουκᾶς, '' Loukâs''; he, לוקאס, ''Lūqās''; arc, /ܠܘܩܐ לוקא, ''Lūqā’; Ge'ez: ሉቃስ'') is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of t ...

the Evangelist and brought from the East by St Alexius. The church also contains the tombstone of Peter Savelli (of the same family as Pope Honorius III). In a Romanesque

crypt A crypt (from Latin ''crypta'' "vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics. Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a chur ...

that survives below the church, the main altar contains relics of

St Thomas of Canterbury Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then ...

. The crypt's 12th-century wall of frescoes depicts the Agnus Dei and symbols of the Four Evangelists, and on the north aisle ''St Gerolamo Emiliani introducing orphans to the Virgin'' by Jean Francois De Troy, and at the end of the aisle ''The Holy Steps and the titular church of Saint Alexius'' in wood and stucco by Andrea Bergondi. Connected to the basilica are the buildings of the former monastery, which now belong to the Italian state. In 2015 and again on June 29 2019, it was noticed by the Italian press the discovery of a Middle Age fresco in an exceptional state of preservation and integrity. The painting has been restored and its subject has been identified by the Italian art historian Claudia Viggiani with Christ the Pilgrim. The fresco was firstly discovered in 1965 by the Italian Genio Civile during the stabilization's works of the bell tower, and then discarded for forty years, until 2005.

Burials

Giovanni Vincenzo Gonzaga Giovanni Vincenzo Gonzaga (1540–1591) was an Italians, Italian Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal. Biography A member of the House of Gonzaga, Giovanni Vincenzo Gonzaga was born in Palermo on December 8, 1540, th ...

Cardinal title

The basilica has been a titular church for Cardinal-priests (the second order) from 1587, originally called ''Sant'Alessio''. In the 19th century, the former dedication of the basilica was renewed, and from that time on the official name of the basilica and the cardinal ''titulus'' are Santi Bonifacio e(d) Alessio.

Cardinal-protectors

(all

Roman Rite The Roman Rite ( la, Ritus Romanus) is the primary liturgical rite of the Latin Church, the largest of the ''sui iuris'' particular churches that comprise the Catholic Church. It developed in the Latin language in the city of Rome and, while dist ...

, Cardinal-Priests and Italian unless otherwise mentioned) *

(1587–1591) * Ottavio Paravicini (1592–1611) * Metello Bichi (1611–1619) * Roberto Ubaldini (1621–1629) *

Giovanni Francesco Guidi di Bagno Giovanni Francesco Guidi di Bagno (1578–1641) (also known as Gian Francesco Guidi di Bagno, Gianfrancesco Guidi di Bagno, Giovanni Francesco Bagni or Gianfrancesco de' Conti Guidi di Bagno) was an Italian cardinal, brother of cardinal Nicola Gui ...

(1629–1641) *

Mario Theodoli The roof of the Theodoli chapel in Santa Maria del Popolo with the frescoes by Giulio Mazzoni">fresco.html" ;"title="Santa Maria del Popolo with the fresco">Santa Maria del Popolo with the frescoes by Giulio Mazzoni. Mario Theodoli (1601 – 27 ...

(1641–1649) *

Luigi Omodei Luigi Omodei may refer to one of two Italian cardinals: *Luigi Omodei (1607–1685) *Luigi Omodei (1657–1706) Luigi Omodei (20 March 1657, in Madrid – 18 August 1706, in Rome) was a cardinal of Italian descent. His uncle Luigi Omodei (1607–1 ...

(1652–1676) * ''vacant'' (1676–1681) *

Federico Visconti Federico Visconti (1617–1693) was an Italian Cardinal and Archbishop of Milan from 1681 to 1693. Early life Federico Visconti was born in Milan on 4 December 1617, to count Carlo of the House of Visconti, last of six brothers. He studied in th ...

(1681–1693) * Taddeo Luigi del Verme (1696–1717) * Giberto Borromeo (1717–1740) * Carlo Gaetano Stampa (1740–1742) * ''vacant'' (1742–1753) *

Antonio Andrea Galli Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular male ...

(1753–1757) *

Giuseppe Maria Castelli Giuseppe is the Italian form of the given name Joseph, from Latin Josephus, Iōsēphus from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), from Hebrew יוסף. It is the most common name in Italy and is unique (97%) to it. The feminine form of the name ...

(1759–1780) * Paolo Francesco Antamori (1781–1795) * ''vacant'' (1795–1801) * Giovanni Filippo Gallarati Scotti (1801–1814) * Emmanuele de Gregorio (1816–1829); ''

in commendam In canon law, commendam (or ''in commendam'') was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice ''in trust'' to the ''custody'' of a patron. The phrase ''in commendam'' was originally applied to the provisional occupation of an ecclesiastical ...

'' (1829–1839) * ''vacant'' (1839–1843) *

Francesco di Paola Villadecani Francesco di Paola Villadecani (22 February 1780 – 13 June 1861) was a cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal of the Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Messina from 1823 to 1861. He was born on 22 February 1780 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. In 18 ...

(1843–1861) * (French)

Alexis Billiet Alexis may refer to: People Mononym * Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet * Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC * Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer * Alexis (comics) (1946–19 ...

(1862–1873) * (Austrian)

Johannes Baptist Franzelin Johannes Baptist Franzelin (b. at Aldein, in county of Tyrol, Tyrol, 15 April 1816; d. at Rome, 11 December 1886) was an Austrian Jesuit theologian and Cardinal (Catholicism), Cardinal. Life Johann Baptist Franzelin was born 15 April 1816, in Ald ...

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

(S.J.) (1876–1886) *

Giuseppe d' Annibale Giuseppe d'Annibale (22 September 1815 – 18 July 1892) was an Italian cardinal and theologian. He was appointed professor in the Seminary of Rieti and later vicar-general of the diocese. He was preconized Titular Bishop of Caryste by Pope Leo ...

(1889–1892) *

Angelo Di Pietro Angelo Di Pietro (22 May 1828 – 5 December 1914) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church and prefect of the Congregation of the Council. Biography Angelo Di Pietro was born in Vivaro Romano, Tivoli. He was educated at the Seminary of Tivoli ...

(1893–1903) * (Spanish)

Sebastián Herrero y Espinosa de los Monteros Sebastián Herrero y Espinosa de los Monteros C.O. (20 January 1822 – 9 December 1903) was a Spanish prelate of the Catholic Church who beginning in 1875 served briefly as the Bishop of Cuenca, Vitoria, and Oviedo, and then 15 years as Bishop ...

, C.O. (1903) * (Brazilian) Joaquim Arcoverde de Albuquerque Cavalcanti (1905–1930) * (Brazilian) Sebastião Leme da Silveira Cintra (1933–1942) * (Brazilian)

Jaime de Barros Câmara Jaime de Barros Câmara (July 3, 1894–February 18, 1971) was a Brazilian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro from 1943 to 1971, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1946 ...

(1946–1971) * (Brazilian)

Avelar Brandão Vilela Avelar Brandão Vilela (June 13, 1912 – December 19, 1986) was a Brazilian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia from 1971 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1973. Biograp ...

(1973–1986) * ''(Brazilian) Lucas Moreira Neves, Dominican Order (O.P.) (1988–1998); ''

'' (1998–2002) * (Brazilian)

Eusébio Oscar Scheid Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (; 25 January 1942 – 5 January 2014), nicknamed the "Black Panther", the "Black Pearl" or "O Rei" ("The King"), was a Portuguese footballer who played as a striker. He is considered one of the greatest players of ...

Dehonian The Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart ( la, Congregatio Sacerdotum a Sacro Corde Iesu) abbreviated SCI, also called the Dehonians, is a Catholic Church, Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men in the ...

(S.C.J.) (2003–2021) * (Brazilian) Paulo Cezar Costa (2022-present)

References

External links

GCatholic cardinal title

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rome, Santi Bonifacio Santi Bonifacio Titular churches 4th-century churches Santi Bonifacio Churches of Rome (rione Ripa)