Sant' Agnese in Agone

St Agnes at the Circus Agonalis

30 Via di Santa Maria dell' Anima (Piazza Navona)

Church dedicated to St Agnes, Roman martyr.

History

An oratory was built here, probably in the 8^th century when it was mentioned in the Itinerary of Einsiedeln, and dedicated to St Agnes. It stood on the spot where she was martyred, over a brothel in the arcades of the Circus of Domitian, also known as the Circus Agonalis. According to an inscription, it was consecrated as a church by Pope Calixtus II on 28 January 1123. This was probably a reconsecration after restoration of rebuilding of the church.

The Catalogue of Turin, c. 1320, states that the church had one priest.

In July 1517, Pope Leo X (1513-1521) made it a cardinalitial titular church, with Andrea Cardinal della Valle as the first titular priest. The title was suppressed by Pope Innocent XI (1644-1655) in 1654, and moved to S Agnese fuori le Mura. In 1998, it was established as a titular deaconry by Pope John Paul II, with Lorenzo Cardinal Antonetti as titular deacon.

Pope Innocent X ordered it enlarged in 1652. The first project was designed by Girolamo and Carlo Rainaldi, but the pope was not happy with it, and gave the task to Borromini in 1653. Innocent X died in 1655, and work proceeded slowly under his nephew Camillo. Borromini wanted to move on, and Carlo Reynaldo took over. Camillo also died before the church was finished, and his wife decided to call in Bernini. He altered Borromini's design, leaving the the façade mainly as planned but adding a high pediment surmounted by an attic. The rebuilding was completed in 1672, and the church was consecrated on January 17^th of that year.

Exterior

The wide, concave façade is the work of Rainaldi (although most of if was planned by Borromini), who worked on it from 1657 to 1672. It was very influential on later Baroque architecture in Europe.

Many guides in Rome will explain how Bernini made one of the personifications in his Fountain of the Four Rivers hold his hand as if protecting himself from the imminent collapse of the façade. It is true that the relationship between Borromini and Bernini was tense (although they did work together at one time), but the fountain was completed before the façade so the apparent gesture was not intentional.

Interior

The Greek cross plan of Rainaldi was preserved, and Borromini added 8 large Corinthian columns of red marble on which the dome rests. This emphasises the octagonal shape of the intersection, and many fail to notice the Greek cross plan.
The church has frescoes by Ciro Ferri, Sebastiano Corbellini and Baciccia, painted in the late 17^th century. Ferri's work includes the paintings in the dome.

The body of Pope Innocent X rests in a crypt to the left of the altar. Above the main entrance, you can see his funerary monument from 1730, by G.B. Maini.

The altarpiece is by A. Algardi, made in 1653. It depicts The Miracle of St Agnes' Hair. The tabernacle by the high altar is from 1123.

The altar of St Agnes is by Rainaldi, with a statue by Ercole Ferrata. It shows her amid flames, a representation of the fire of temptation. Ferrata has also made the statue at the altar of Emerentiana, Agnes' milk-sister, who was stoned while praying at Agnes' tomb.

At the altar of St Eustace, sculpture shows the saint exposed to lions. A statue of St Sebastian at his altar is a Roman statue that has been reworked by Paolo Campi.

To the right of St Sebastian's altar is a door leading to a chapel. There, the head of St Agnes is venerated.

A door on the left side of the same altar leads to the baptistery where St Francesca Romana was baptized.

Special notes

Below the church there are Roman ruins, including the ruins of the brothel where St Agnes was martyred. Legend claimed that there was a tunnel from these ruins leading to the catacombs of St Agnes on the Via Nomentana; no such tunnel has been found, and it seems very unlikely that one has existed. The ruins can be entered through a door to the right of her altar. It may be locked, but the sacristan will normally open it for you.

Sources

Incomplete

• Einsideln
• Hülsen 1927
• Cod. Taurin