150 YEARS OF THE NAZARETH SISTERS

In the footsteps of Blessed Frances Siedliska in Rome (26)

Sr. M. Beata Rudzińska, CSFN

Piazza di Spagna and beyond….

Today, the promised first section of the walk between Via della Vite and Via Sistina that is, between the second and third residences of Frances in Rome.
Leaving Via della Vite, we pass the building of the current Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, described earlier, and after a few steps we are already in the Spanish Square (Piazza di Spagna) – one of the must-see places for visitors to Rome.
Why Spanish? One of the buildings has housed the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See since 1622 (that’s only 400 years :-). Before that, the Piazza was called Trinità dei Monti – after the name of the church that towers over the Piazza.
Immediately upon entering the Piazza, a beautiful 12-meter tall ancient column, which is crowned by a 4-meter tall statue of Mary Immaculate, catches our eye.
The base of the column is a kind of biblical catechesis. It is decorated with monumental figures of Old Testament prophets who announced the virgin birth of the Messiah: David, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Moses. Between them are panels with bas-reliefs depicting scenes of the Annunciation, Joseph’s Dream, Mary’s Coronation and the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Mary herself, wearing a halo of 12 stars, stands on a bronze globe, surrounded by symbols of the four Evangelists, crushing an ancient serpent with her foot.
The entire monument was funded by King Ferdinand II (Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) as a votive offering of gratitude for saving his life in an assassination attempt that took place after Mass on December 8, 1856. Just a year later, thanks to the efforts of 220 firefighters, a Column of the Immaculate was erected next to the Spanish Embassy. It was here because Spain had contributed most to defining the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, proclaimed 3 years earlier by Pius IX. He himself appeared in the Square to consecrate the Column. Following his example, since 1958, successive Popes have come to the Square on December 8 to pay homage to the Immaculate. Roman firefighters have also, in their own way, continued the work of their predecessors since 1923, hanging a fresh wreath of flowers on the hand of the Immaculate on that day. On the Internet, you can watch touching and somewhat chilling reports of these sky-high, early-morning climbs (the entire monument is nearly 30 meters).
Of course, that’s not all we can see in Piazza di Spagna, but about that in the next episode….

Pictures: CSFN
Column of the Immaculate in the Piazza di Spagna