Sant'Emidio alle Grotte is a Baroque

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...

Ascoli Piceno Ascoli Piceno (; la, Asculum; dialetto ascolano: Ascule) is a town and ''comune'' in the Marche region of Italy, capital of the province of the same name. Its population is around 46,000 but the urban area of the city has more than 93,000. Geo ...

, Italy. Its name refers to

Saint Emygdius Saint Emygdius (Latin: ''Emidius, Æmedius, Emigdius, Hemigidius''; it, Sant'Emidio; c. 279 – c. 309 AD) was a Christian bishop who is venerated as a martyr. Tradition states that he was killed during the persecution of Diocletian. Legend Hi ...

(Emidius). According to legend, after having been beheaded in 309 near the current church of

Sant'Emidio Rosso The Sant'Emidio Red Temple (''Tempietto Sant'Emidio Rosso'') is a church of Ascoli Piceno in Italy. Its name refers to Saint Emygdius (Emidius), patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a sai ...

, 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 ( la, Clemens XI; it, Clemente 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 w ...

. 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 even rusty varieties. It is formed by a pro ...

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 {{Italy-RC-church-stub