Parish

Parish of St Mary, the Liberator


The church of Santa Maria Liberatrice (St. Mary, the Liberator) was established on land acquired by the Holy See during the pontificate of Leo XIII (1878-1903) with the intention of constructing a significant place of worship. The Benedictines of St. Anselm had initiated the construction, laying its foundations. In 1904, Pius X recommenced the project, and the following year, oversight was entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco, along with the Oblates of Tor de' Specchi, Benedictines of Santa Francesca Romana. The Oblates of Tor de' Specchi had previously seen their own church in the Roman Forum, also named 'Santa Maria Liberatrice', demolished in 1902 to reveal the ancient Christian basilica of 'Santa Maria Antiqua.' Consequently, they transferred the cult and memory of their former church to the new one in Testaccio, also contributing financially to its construction using government compensation received for the demolition. Artworks from the old church adorned the convent of Tor de' Specchi, while a venerated 16th-century image of the 'Madonna and Child,' crowned in 1653, was relocated to the new church's high altar. This image was framed by a splendid canopy of red marble, supported by four columns of pink granite.

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The church stands proudly on Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice, a name adopted approximately twenty years after its construction, replacing the original 'Piazza dell'Industria,' (Industrial Square) designated on 25 May 1886 by the City Council when naming the district. Designed by the architect from Turin Mario Ceradini, the church is constructed of brick and travertine in Romanesque style. Its façade, featuring three round-arched portals with travertine lintels, is a striking feature. The central portal, adorned with Corinthian marble cornices, is embellished above with two large roundels crafted from precious 'African' marble, a polyphora window, and mosaics depicting the coats of arms of Pius X, the Salesian Congregation on the left, and the Oblates of Tor de' Specchi on the right.

The upper mosaic on the façade depicts the "Crucifixion," featuring Christ clothed and with open eyes, flanked by "Magdalene" on the left and "St. John" on the right. Behind Christ stand two soldiers, one holding a sponge and the other a lance. The lower mosaic, which collapsed and was subsequently restored in 1925, portrays the Madonna amidst Sts. Peter, Paul, Quirico, and Giulitta, with Pope Zacharias on the left and 'Theodotus' on the right, both depicted with square nimbuses indicating they were living individuals. The interior of the church is divided into three naves by columns supporting capitals adorned with symbols of the evangelists. The central strip of the floor is embellished with a black and white mosaic featuring fragments of polychrome marble, geometric elements, and squares depicting the symbols of the zodiac. Between 1956 and 1964, Luciano Bartoli created both the apsidal fresco, illustrating the 'Trinity' and the 'Incarnation,' along with depictions of the works of mercy at the bottom. Bartoli also crafted polychrome stained-glass windows on the façade ('Episodes from the Life of the Virgin') and in the aisles, featuring figures of saints.

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Church Hours


The opening hours of the church are as follows:

Weekdays 06.45 -12.00 16.00 -19.30
Holidays 06.45 -13.00 16.00 - 19.30

Eucharistic Celebrations

Weekdays 06.45 -12.00 16.00 -19.30
Holidays 06.45 -13.00 16.00 - 19.30


Parish Secretariat


Entrance from Via Lorenzo Ghiberti, 2

Monday - Saturday 9.30 a.m. - 11.30 a.m.
Monday - Friday 16.30 - 18.30

Contact

  065750294
  parrocchia@santamarialiberatrice.com