The Sant’Agata in Trastevere Church is located near the San Crisogono Church in Rome. Every year on July 16th, a statue of the Madonna del Carmine is carried from this church, through the streets of the district, to its neighbour across the square. The event is called Festa de’ Noantri.
Sant’Agata in Trastevere Church Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
Address: Largo San Giovanni De Matha, 91 – Rome (tel. +39 06 5803717). Opening hours: Monday till Friday from 16.00 till 19.00. Admission: Free.
History and description
The Sant’Agata in Trastevere church was probably built in the 8th century. This assumption is based on a sign in the hallway next to the sacristy claiming that Pope Gregory II had his residence in the church in the year 727.
The church consists of one single nave with Corinthian columns on the sides. Each side also has three chapels.
It was restored in 1710 by Giacomo Recalcati, who made a completely new facade, using a design by Francesco Borromini. His master builder Domenico Guidi is buried in the Sant’Agata.
Other restorations took place in 1821 and 1984.
The church should not to be confused with the Sant’Agata dei Goti, another Roman church dedicated to the martyr and saint from Catania, who was murdered in the year 251)
Works of art in the Sant’Agata in Trastevere church
- Girolamo Troppa was responsible for both the frescoes in the apse and its ceiling.
- Biagio Puccini created the Martyrdom of Saint Agatha near the main altar.
- The paintings in the 3rd chapels on the right and on the left were also done by Puccini.
- 1st Chapel on the right: A portait of Pope Pius X by Giuseppe Bevilacqua and an 18th century painting portraying the Archangel Michael.
- 2nd Chapel on the left: A statue of Madonna del Carmine, also called Madonna dei Noantri (Madonna of “us others”, the Trasteverini are not like other Romans, thank you!).
Festa de’ Noantri
Every year on July 16th, the Festa de’ Noantri takes place, whereby the Madonna del Carmine, every year with a different dress, is carried through the streets of Trastevere to the Chiesa di San Crisogono. The stretcher used to carry the statue is designed by one of the architects who also designed the Santa Croce in Gerusalemme church, Domenico Gregorini. Festa de’ Noantri means “Feast of us others”, the inhabitants of Trastevere thus claiming a kind of special status in Rome.