This amazing. I've never seen so much imagery packed into what seems like a smallish crypt. You have to start from scratch with some of us and tell us about crypts. They are under the main church, right? Are they for burials mostly? There is at least one altar filled with amazing imagery, though I couldn't tell what it was except for the Agnus Dei. Might be good to stop at certain points and stay on images so we have a good look at what we are seeing - otherwise we only see the big picture and can't hone in on the fantastic artwork. You certainly have whetted my appetite for more!
This is utterly breathtaking, and even more so knowing they likely needed to grind their own pigments and mix their own paints, on top of all the color matching and surface prep and all of it. Truly a monumental task!
Thanks so much for this explanation. So when the earthquake hit the church in Norcia, was the special birthplace - obviously so dear to you and so many others - also destroyed?
I am glad to hear that. How fortunate it was made by the Romans - otherwise it would not be restorable at all... even though it will probably never be the same as the original, at least the holy space will be available again one day.
I visited Anagni in 2013 on pilgrimage to Rome on our day venturing outside of Rome to Anagni, Mass in Aquino, lunch at Roccasecca and Monte Cassino. The frescoes in the crypt of the church there, which served for a time as the Vatican outside of the Vatican, had a memorable one of the failed attempts to make a martyr of St. John the Evangelist, depicted being boiled in oil. The cosmatesque floors in the nave are spectacular, as well as the commanding views from the piazza to the surrounding valley.
Magnificent. Thank you.
This amazing. I've never seen so much imagery packed into what seems like a smallish crypt. You have to start from scratch with some of us and tell us about crypts. They are under the main church, right? Are they for burials mostly? There is at least one altar filled with amazing imagery, though I couldn't tell what it was except for the Agnus Dei. Might be good to stop at certain points and stay on images so we have a good look at what we are seeing - otherwise we only see the big picture and can't hone in on the fantastic artwork. You certainly have whetted my appetite for more!
This is utterly breathtaking, and even more so knowing they likely needed to grind their own pigments and mix their own paints, on top of all the color matching and surface prep and all of it. Truly a monumental task!
Beautiful and so easy to view given they're on a low ceiling. Thanks!
Thanks so much for this explanation. So when the earthquake hit the church in Norcia, was the special birthplace - obviously so dear to you and so many others - also destroyed?
I am glad to hear that. How fortunate it was made by the Romans - otherwise it would not be restorable at all... even though it will probably never be the same as the original, at least the holy space will be available again one day.
I visited Anagni in 2013 on pilgrimage to Rome on our day venturing outside of Rome to Anagni, Mass in Aquino, lunch at Roccasecca and Monte Cassino. The frescoes in the crypt of the church there, which served for a time as the Vatican outside of the Vatican, had a memorable one of the failed attempts to make a martyr of St. John the Evangelist, depicted being boiled in oil. The cosmatesque floors in the nave are spectacular, as well as the commanding views from the piazza to the surrounding valley.
Also, can you share photos of how that special place looked before the earthquake?
Thank the good Lord! It makes my heart happy - it is such a special place.
Yes, very much so. You will have to take us there when the time is right.