THE CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA DELLA PACE

THE HISTORY
It was constructed in the place that hosted a convent of nuns of the tertiary order during the Middle Ages and in 1502, it was entitled to Santa Maria della Pace. Originally the structure was opened through Via del Bottalone. The actual building in the Piazza Luigi Concetti, by the wishes of cardinal Brancacci, was only built in 1667, in the area previously occupied by the church of Santa Nicola dei Vascellari. The work was completed only in 1699 under Cardinal Urbano Sacchetti, whose crest stands on the pediment. In a manuscript from the archive of Santa Rosa it reads: … It was then demolished, the Church of Saint Nicolò delle Vascelle, despite the protests of the Capitolo di San Sisto. The ancient imperial church, contained three alters, the greater alter and two other alters, the first was dedicated to the Assumption and it was flanked by two golden angels. The other was dedicated to Santa Maria delle Pace (Libro S.V. 1612 – 1618), it had the façade on Via del Bottalone (pianta Ligustri n° 69). “…The new façade, where the ancient image of the Madonna was transferred, is on the second altar on the right. It was consecrated on August 23, 1671…” Church services were stopped in 1870. Together with the monastery in 1912, it became property of the city hall. Losing its religious function because of the suppression of the religious confraternities, from 1917 to 1920, it was used as a storehouse for grain. In 1920 the city hall decided to make the entire building available to the manufactures of the macchina of Santa Rosa. It was used at the “headquarter” of the designs and as the warehouse. On this occasion, the paintings were covered. It was reopened to the public between 1932 and 1933. The church completely lost its religious function after WWII when clothes and vestments that were kept in it were donated to other churches in the city. Today, the church is one of locations for the Sodalizio dei Facchini di Santa Rosa. Every year, in its interior, the facchini that will be carrying the Macchina di Santa Rosa are chosen.

THE EXTERIOR
The lower level of the façade is dominated by a central doorway with an arched pediment supported by consoles. It has pilasters with iconic capitals linked by festoons of fruit and flowers. The four granite niches on the sides host peperino statues of the saints surmounted by tympanums held by brackets and cherubs. On the same scheme there is a large window dominating the middle with a triangular pediment and at the sides, two niches with statues of saints.

THE INTERIOR
Inside the building is divided into a nave and six side chapels. On the walls, decorated with monochrome paintings, the windows are placed in alignment with the chapels. The barrel vault is decorated with figures of saints in the lunettes, medallions, inscriptions and allegorical figures, sitting on a fake architecture, supporting the central representation depicting the Virgin in glory surrounded by angels. Above the apse is painted the Madonna of the Seven sorrows flanked by the Archangel Gabriel and the Annunciation. The church was subjected, between 1992 and 1994, to a restoration that affected the whole structure. After the first restoration works, during which the main causes of degradation were located, steps were taking to the consolidation and restoration of the rest of the building and its decorative elements. Today the church is one of the locations of the Facchini (porters) of the Sodalizio di S. Rosa. Inside every year are held so- called flow tests, on the basis of which the men engaged in the carriage of the “Macchina di S. Rosa” are chosen.The facchini trial of carrying the Macchina di Santa Rosa. The trials started in 1968. They still consist of transporting a “cassetta,” or small box, filled with iron plates and weighing about a total of 150 kilograms, on the shoulder for about 80 meters. After trial evaluation, the men are chosen according to results and the final facchini team marches on September 3. The position of the porters during transport is determined by height, and above all, experience. In fact, the porters with more experience are placed below the base of the macchina and are called ciuffi -the name refers to the padded leather hat used to protect the neck area where the majority of the heavy weight falls. On each side of the base of the macchina are the spallette (shoulders), so called because all of the weight falls on the shoulder. Among these stand the “extras” that come into operation during the longest distance in the parade. The stanghette can be found behind and in front of the structure and have a very important task of security: mitigating the fluctuations of the macchina during transport. Then there are the “workers on the ropes” and the “workers of the levers” that are involved only at the last section of the trail: the climb. The training is led by the Chief Facchino who has twenty years of experience and is chosen among the porters. The facchini have a white uniform with a red sash at the waist and a handkerchief tied on their heads like pirates. These uniforms are worn only in celebration and honor or Santa Rosa. The chief facchino and the guides wear black pants and sash on their shoulders with the colors of Viterbo, yellow and blue.

ESSENTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

AA. VV., Tuscia Viterbese, vol. I, Roma, 1968.
Simonetta Angeli, Il Museo Civico di Viterbo; documenti per uno studio della raccolta e per una loro virtuale ricostruzione, (non ancora pubblicato, presso l’Archivio del Museo Civico di Viterbo).
Bollettino Municipale di Viterbo, periodico 135/11, XVII, anno III, n. 9, 10, 11, 12, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1938, pp. 55-60.
F. Bussi, Istoria della città di Viterbo, Roma, 1742.
Attilio Carosi, Chiese di Viterbo, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1995.
Censimento conservativo dei beni artistici e storici. Guida alla compilazione delle schede, a cura di Michele Cordaro e Maria Cecilia Mazzi, Regione Lazio Assessorato alla Cultura, Centro Regionale per la Documentazione dei Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Roma, Edizioni Quasar, 1993.
Salvatore Del Ciuco, La Chiesa di S. Maria dell’Edera, Bolsena, 1989.
Dizionario della Pittura e dei Pittori, Torino, Einaudi, 1989.
F. Egidi, Guida della città di Viterbo e dintorni, Viterbo, 1889.
Italo Faldi, Mostra di restauri, in “L’arte nel viterbese”, Viterbo, 1965.
Italo Faldi, Museo Civico di Viterbo. Dipinti e sculture dal Medioevo al XVIII secolo, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1955.
Italo Faldi, Pittori viterbesi di cinque secoli, Roma, 1970.
Italo Faldi, Recenti restauri e acquisizioni, in “Soprintendenza alla Galleria e opere medievali e moderne per il Lazio”, VI settimana dei Musei, Roma, 1963.
Italo Faldi, Restauri acquisti e acquisizioni al patrimonio artistico di Viterbo, catalogo, Viterbo, Palazzo dei Priori, 1972.
Augusto Gargana, Viterbo. Itinerario di Augusto Gargana, Viterbo, 1939.
Il 1400 a Roma e nel Lazio. Il 1400 a Viterbo, cat. mostra, Roma, De Luca Editore, 1983.
La pittura in Italia, Milano, Electa, 1989.
A. Muñoz, Uno sguardo al nuovo Museo Civico di Viterbo, in “Per l’inaugurazione del Museo Civico di Viterbo”, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1912, pp. 33-     45.
G. Oddi, Le arti in Viterbo, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1882.
Cesare Pinzi, I principali monumenti di Viterbo. Guida pel visitatore, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1911.
Cesare Pinzi, Memoria sulla Chiesa di S. Maria della Verità, ora Museo Viterbese, in “Per l’inaugurazione del Museo Civico di Viterbo”, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1912, pp. 5-14.
Cesare Pinzi, Storia della città di Viterbo, voll. I-III, Roma, 1887/89, vol. IV, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1913.
Relazione di restauro, a cura dell’Ufficio Settore Lavori Pubblici del Comune di Viterbo, Viterbo, 1994.
A. Scriattoli, Viterbo nei suoi monumenti, Roma, 1915-20.
Giuseppe Signorelli, Il primo nucleo del Museo Viterbese, in “Per l’inaugurazione del Museo Civico di Viterbo”, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1912, pp. 15- 19.
Giuseppe Signorelli, Viterbo nella storia della Chiesa, Viterbo, 1907-1969.
Mario Signorelli, Guida di Viterbo. Monumenti del centro cittadini, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1964.
Mario Signorelli, Storia breve di Viterbo, Viterbo, Agnesotti, 1964
Simona Valtieri, La genesi umana di Viterbo, Roma, 1977.

MANOSCRITTI – Biblioteca Comunale degli Ardenti
Giuseppe Signorelli, Chiese, Conventi, Confraternite, ms. c-10 presso la Biblioteca Comunale degli Ardenti.
D. Bianchi, Storia di Viterbo, ms. presso la Biblioteca degli Ardenti di Viterbo, 1611.

FONTI D’ARCHIVIO
ARCHIVIO DI STATO DI VITERBO
FONDO ARCHIVIO STORICO COMUNALE
Busta 83 (1912) Concessione al Comune di arredi sacri appartenenti all’ex chiesa di S. Maria della Pace e all’ex monastero di S. Maria della Pace.
Busta 119 (1917)    Misure dei quadri da coprire nella chiesa della Pace.
Busta 258 (1928)    Schede di catalogo generale.
Busta 295 (1930)    Schede di catalogo.
Busta 368 (1933)    Schede di catalogo generale.
FONDO CULTO DI VITERBO
Busta 4 (1932-33)    Riapertura al culto della chiesa di S. Maria della Pace.
ARCHIVIO MUSEO CIVICO DI VITERBO
Scheda di catalogo del Museo Civico del dipinto Santo vescovo e Santi monaci in adorazione della Sacra Famiglia.
Allestimento 1955.
Busta 518 (1938) – Archivio di Stato-Archivio Storico Comunale.
Ricognizione 1974 (dalla ricerca di Simonetta Angeli)
Delibera di Giunta Comunale redatta per il dipinto “Quattro Santi in adorazione” (tratta da Simonetta Angeli)
ARCHIVIO DEL COMUNE DI VITERBO
Delibere di Giunta Comunale, dal 1944 al 1957.