San Stefano del Castellare

(12th century, demolished in the 14th century)

An ancient church stood outside the city walls on the site of what is now the transept of San Domenico.  It probably housed the relics of St Herculanus in the period 933-66, and some authorities believe that it was effectively the Duomo of Perugia at this time.  The description "del Castellare" (and the name of nearby Via del Castellano) suggests that this site was once heavily fortified. 

The canons of San Lorenzo (see Palazzo delle Canoniche) built a parish church here in the 12th century to serve the population of the surrounding suburb.  By the time that the first Dominicans arrived in Perugia in 1234, the clergy were finding it dificult to cope with their rapidly growing flock.  The friars effectively took over responsibility for the pastoral care of the parish.  Such was their success that the church was soon too small for the congregation.  The friars therefore  built a new church (later known as San Domenico Vecchio) on nearby land.

Pope Benedict XI conceding the Dominican Indulgence Miniature (1343) in ms. 975 Biblioteca Augusta

Pope Benedict XI gave the formal ownership of San Stefano del Castellare to the Dominicans in 1304.  He also granted plenary indulgences to those celebrating Mass there on the feast of the discovery (in 415) in Jerusalem of the relics of St Stephen (August 3rd).   This would have attracted large numbers of pilgrims, many of whom would have come from Assisi, where the Portiuncula Indulgence was available on August 1st and 2nd.  The Confraternita di San Domenico built the nearby Oratorio dei Pellegrini (see Walk IV) to cater for the needs of the pilgrims visiting the church.

The veneration of St Stephen in Perugia pre-dated the granting of the indulgence: he was, for example, identified in the city statutes of 1279 (the earliest that survive) as the protector of the city from pestilence and hail, no doubt because he had been stoned to death.  Nevertheless, the indulgence must have boosted the popularity of his cult in the city.  

The Dominicans used the funds that flowed from the granting of the indulgence for the construction of the present San Domenico, which incorporated San Stefano del Castellare as its crossing.  Work on the new church started at its façade so that San Stefano del Castellare could remain in use for a while.  It was probably demolished shortly before 1368, the date of the earliest dated fresco in the apsidal chapels of the new church.

Return to San Domenico.

Return to Walk IV.