Sant'Agostino, Rome

The Basilica of Saint Augustine in Camp Martius (Basilica di Sant'Agostino in Campo Marzio; Basilica Sancti Augustini in Campo Martio), commonly known as Basilica of Saint Augustine is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Rome. The titular church is dedicated to Saint Augustine of Hippo and serves as the motherhouse of the Augustinian Order.

First conceived in 1286, the current basilica (completed in 1483) is known for its Renaissance architecture style; housing artwork by Roman artisans Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, and Giovanni Francesco Barbieri. It is also the burial site of Saint Monica, the mother of Augustine.

Pope John Paul II raised the shrine to the status of Minor Basilica via decree on 29 October 1999.

History
The former parish of Saint Tryphon in Posterula Church was built at this site in 700 A.D. and was originally dedicated to the martyr Saint Tryphon of Campsada. The Order of Saint Augustine was founded at the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome in 1244. The Augustinian friars soon desired to have their main monastery and church closer to Vatican City. The Roman nobleman Egidio Lufredi donated land near here in Campo Marzio to the Augustinian friars in 1286. On 20 February 1287 Pope Honorius IV granted the St. Tryphon in Posterula Church to the Augustinian friars.

The first building structure was commissioned by Pope Boniface VIII, was built here by the Augustinian friars in 1296-1446 right next to the St. Tryphon in Posterula Church. The construction of the second (current) basilica began in 1479. It was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV; designed by architect Baccio Pontelli (who also designed the Sistine Chapel); and funded by Cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville. Its construction was completed in 1483. Giacomo di Pietrasanta (?-1495) built its façade by using travertine salvaged from the ruins of the Colosseum. Its façade reads the following:

"Guillermus de Estoutevilla, Episcopus Ostiensis, Cardinalis Rothomagensis, Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ, Camerarius, Fecit MCCCCLXXXIII English: William of Stateville, the Bishop of Ostia, Cardinal of Rouen of the Holy Roman Church, Camerlengo, built this in the Year 1483."

Its first restoration was completed in 1763 by Luigi Vanvitelli; its second restoration was completed in 1870; and its most recent restoration occurred in 1998–2000.

The title of Sant'Agostino has been held by Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard since 2006. It is the station church of the first Saturday in Lent.

Catholic Mass
The basilica is open to the general public with some restrictions:


 * Monday to Saturday: 7:15 AM—12:00 PM and 4:00—7:30 PM.


 * Roaming tourists are prohibited to visit on Sundays when Catholic Mass is held at 8:00 AM. 10:00 AM. 12:00 PM. and 6:30 PM.

Artwork
The 1606 painting Madonna of Loreto (also known as the Madonna of the Pilgrims) by Caravaggio is located in the first chapel on the left. The heirs of Ermete Cavalletti (?-1602) bought the Pieta Chapel on 4 September 1603 and soon commissioned Caravaggio to paint the Madonna for their family's chapel. It was hung in 1606 at the altar in the Cavalletti Chapel (former Pieta Chapel) in place of a Pieta that was sold to Pope Paul V (formerly Cardinal Camillo Borghese).

The 1512 fresco Prophet Isaiah by Raphael is located on the third pilaster of the left nave. It was part of the funerary monument of Johannes Goritz (1455–1527; also known as Janus Corycius). Isaiah holds a Hebrew scroll stating: "Open the doors, so that the people who believe may enter." (Isaiah 26:2–3) The statue Saint Anne and Virgin with Child (1512) by Andrea Sansovino is located below Raphael's Isaiah.

The 1521 sculpture Madonna del Parto (Our Lady of Childbirth) by Jacopo Sansovino is based, according to a legend, on an ancient statue of Agrippina holding Nero in her arms, is reputed by tradition to work miracles in childbirth. It is located in a niche to the right of the entrance and is surrounded by thank-offerings of flowers and candles.

The 1588 frescoes of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist by Avanzino Nucci are also here.

The 1616 ceiling fresco Assumption of Mary and three paintings by Giovanni Lanfranco are located in the Buongiovanni Chapel (in the left transept).

The 1600s painting Saints Augustine, John the Evangelist and Jerome by Guercino is also here.

The sculpture St. Thomas of Villanova Distributing Alms by Melchiorre Cafà and completed by his mentor Ercole Ferrata is located in the St. Thomas of Villanova Chapel (left end of transept). The etching Charity of St Thomas of Villanova by Cafà himself illustrates this same sculpture.

The 1628 High Altar was designed by Orazio Turriani. It was previously (but erroneously) thought that Gian Lorenzo Bernini had designed it.

Its nave ceiling fresco was completed in 1868 by Pietro Gagliardi; who also made the 5 prophet pillar frescoes (including Ezekiel), 6 Old Testament women & 12 scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary.

Tombs
St. Tryphon of Campsada died in AD 250 and is located under the High Altar.

Saint Monica died in 387. Her tomb was transferred here from the Santa Aurea Church in Ostia Antica, Italy on 11 April 1424. Her sarcophagus was designed by Isaia da Pisa (1410–1464) in 1455, and is now located in the Chapel of Saint Monica (left of the apse).

Norways's Archbishop Olav Trondsson died on 25 November 1474. His tombstone reads: "CVI DEDERAT SACRAM MERITO NORVEGIA SEDEM HIC TEGIT OLAVI FRIGIDVS OSSA LAPIS" (Here a cold stone covers the bones of Olav, to whom Norway rightly gave the holy chair).

Cardinal Guillaume d'Estouteville died on 22 January 1483.

Cardinal Giuseppe Renato Imperiali died on 18 February 1737. Pietro Bracci designed and sculpted his polychrome tomb in 1741.

The inscriptions found in the basilica have been collected and published by Vincenzo Forcella.

List of Cardinal—Protectors
Pope Sixtus V (1585–1590) established the titular church of a cardinal priest in April 1587.

• Gregorio Petrocchini, OESA, (23 March 1590–28 May 1608)

• Fabrizio Veralli, (10 December 1608–17 November 1624)

• Berlinghiero Gessi, (19 July 1627–6 April 1639)

• Ottaviano Raggi, (10 February 1642–31 December 1643)

• Niccolò Albergati-Ludovisi, (24 April 1645–25 June 1646)

• Fabrizio Savelli, (16 December 1647–26 February 1659)

• Antonio Bichi, (1 December 1659–14 November 1667)

• Federico Borromeo (iuniore), (23 February 1671–8 August 1672)

• Francesco Lorenzo Brancati di Lauria, (22 September 1681–1 December 1681)

• Carlo Stefano Anastasio Ciceri, (7 July 1687–24 June 1694)

• Enrico Noris, OESA, (2 January 1696–23 February 1704)

• Carlo Agostino Fabroni, (25 June 1706–19 September 1727)

• Angelo Maria Quirini, OSB Cas., (22 December 1727–8 March 1728)

• Gregorio Selleri, OP, (10 May 1728–31 May 1729)

• Marco Antonio Ansidei, (6 July 1729–14 February 1730)

• Bartolomeó Massei, (8 January 1731–20 November 1746)

• Giorgío Doria, (15 December 1745–3 January 1757; 3 January 1757–31 January 1759)

• Gaetano Fantuzzi Gottifredi, (19 November 1759–6 April 1767)

• Mario Marefoschi Compagnoni, (12 December 1770–23 December 1780)

• Paolo Massei, (11 April 1785–9 June 1785)

• Diego Innico Caracciolo Di Martina, (20 October 1800–26 September 1814; 26 September 1814–24 January 1820)

• Cesare Brancadoro, (29 May 1820–12 September 1837)

• Friedrich Johannes Jacob Celestin von Schwarzenberg, (27 January 1842–27 March 1885)

• Antolín Monescillo y Viso, (10 June 1886–11 August 1897)

• Antonio María Cascajares y Azara, (24 March 1898–27 July 1901)

• Sebastiano Martinelli, OESA, (9 June 1902–4 July 1918)

• Aleksander Kakowski, (18 December 1919–30 December 1938)

• Agustín Parrado y García, (22 February 1946–8 October 1946)

• Fernando Quiroga y Palacios, (29 October 1953–7 December 1971)

• Marcelo González Martín, (5 March 1973–25 August 2004)

• Jean-Pierre Ricard, (24 March 2006– present)