Santa Maria del Pianto is a Roman Catholic church in the Rione Regola, with entrances on the South at

Piazza delle Cinque Scole A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...

/ Via di Santa Maria de' Calderari and on the north on Via di Santa Maria del Pianto. It is presently affiliated with

Oblates of the Virgin Mary The Oblates of the Virgin Mary (Italian: ''Oblati di Maria Vergine'') is a religious institute of priests and brothers founded by Bruno Lanteri (1759–1830) in the Kingdom of Sardinia in the early 19th century. The institute is characterized by a ...

History and description

The church was once called San Salvatore or Santa Maria ''de Cacaberis'', and it was the church sponsored by the guild of boilerworkers and metalworkers. The word ''Cacabus'' means "metal basin" in Latin. The present name was taken from the street on which it lies. In 1546, a miracle was said to occur when an image of a virgin, painted above a door nearby, was said to have shed tears during a street crime, and supposedly spoke to the offender. In 1608-1612, the present church, with its dome, was built by Nicolò Sebregondi, who failed to complete a facade, leaving the entrances only as a doors with labeled lintels.Guida metodica di Roma e suoi contorni
by Giuseppe Melchiorri, Rome (1836); page 421. The church housed an archconfraternity and was involved in attempts to proselytize in the

Roman Ghetto The Roman Ghetto or Ghetto of Rome ( it, Ghetto di Roma) was a Jewish ghettos in Europe, Jewish ghetto established in 1555 in the Sant'Angelo (rione of Rome), Rione Sant'Angelo, in Rome, Italy, in the area surrounded by present-day Via del Portic ...

. The church had a processional standard banner painted by

Lazzaro Baldi Lazzaro Baldi ( – 30 March 1703) was an Italian painter and engraver of the Baroque period active mainly in Rome.

. The main altar still shelters the miraculous 15th century icon, flanked by alabaster columns. In the choir are two paintings by

Agostino Ciampelli Agostino Ciampelli (29 August 1565 – 22 April 1630) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. He trained with Santi di Tito in Florence, and painted in Rome under Clement VIII, including a ''Crucifixion'' for Santa Prassede and a ''Sain ...

References

{{coord missing, Italy Churches of Rome (rione Regola)