Sant'Emidio alle Grotte is a Baroque

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

Ascoli Piceno Ascoli Piceno (; ; ) is a (municipality) and capital of the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Italy, Italian region of Marche. Geography The town lies at the confluence of the Tronto, River Tronto and the small Castellano (river), River Castell ...

, Italy. Its name refers to Saint Emygdius (Emidius). According to legend, after having been beheaded in 309 near the current church of Sant'Emidio Rosso, the saint walked here with his head in his hands to be buried. The church (known as ''tempietto'', meaning "small temple", for its small size) was built in 1717–1720/21 by commission of bishop Giovanni Gambi, a relative of

Pope Clement XI Pope Clement XI (; ; ; 23 July 1649 – 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721. Clement XI was a patron of the arts an ...

. It consists of a

travertine Travertine ( ) is a form of terrestrial limestone deposited around mineral springs, especially hot springs. It often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-colored, and rusty varieties. It is formed by a process ...

façade which precedes three grottoes housing the saint's sepulture, which have been turned into oratories.

References

Baroque architecture in Marche Emidio alle Grotte Roman Catholic churches completed in 1721 1721 establishments in the Papal States 1721 establishments in Italy {{Marche-RC-church-stub