San Ponziano (12th century ?)


This church is dedicated to St Pontian, who was martyred in the reign of the Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-61) and buried outside Spoleto, "in loco qui appellatur Lucianus".  This is almost certainly the hill that is now called Colle Ciciano, the site of the present church.  According to the legend of St Brictius, some of his followers who were martyred in the 4th century, were buried by a pious matron called Sincleta "in cimiterio Pontiani, non longe ab urbe Spoletana".  This indicates that a cemetery had been established near the grave of St Pontian from an early date.  Three early sarcophagi that were found in this cemetery are now in the crypt (see below).

The relics of St Pontian were preserved in an oratory in the cemetery that seems to have been the site of a Benedictine monastery (cenobium beatissimi martyris Pontiani) by the 10th century.  In 966 Bishop Balderik (who was in Italy for the coronation of the Emperor Otto I) took most of the relics of St Pontian for the cathedral that he built in Utrecht.  

The complex subsequently passed to community of Benedictine nuns, perhaps at the time that current church was built.  The complex passed to a community of Poor Clares from Santa Maria di Monteluce, Perugia in 1521. 

San Ponziano must have benefited in 1703 when the St Pontian was credited with saving Spoleto from the earthquake that ravaged much of the surrounding area.   He apparently saved the city from earthquakes again in 1767and in 1785. 

  • The Commune established a new altar dedicated to St Pontian in the Duomo in 1785, at the start of its re-modeling by Giuseppe Valadier.  
  • This young architect also designed the new interior of San Ponziano in 1788. 

The church and nunnery were suppressed in 1810, when most of its movable works of art were dispersed.  The nuns subsequently managed to return but the complex was suppressed again in 1860 and the buildings were sold off for private use.  In 1905, female community of Lateran canons moved here from Santa Maria della Stella.   They observe strict enclosure, although they also offer rooms in the nunnery to tourists in the Casa d’ Accoglienza di S. Ponziano.

Exterior

The church, which seems to have been built or rebuilt in th 12th century, stands in an enclosed courtyard, with the entrance to the nunnery on the left. 

The façade is now in three orders separated by two cornices:

  • the bottom order and the central part of the middle order  are largely original; but

  • the sides of the middle order and the tympanum above were probably later additions.

The portal has a lovely mosaic surround, with three reliefs in tondi on the architrave: a lion; an eagle; and the Lamb of God.  The inscription on the architrave wishes peace on those who enter and grace to those who pray.  It warns that you will one day become ashes and exhorts you to penitence.

The rose window has lost most of its original components, although the surrounding symbols of the Evangelists survive.

The lower part of the campanile, to the height of the second cornice, is also probably original.

Interior

In 1521, when the Poor Clares of Santa Maria di Monteluce, Perugia acquired the complex, they built a wall across the church to separate their choir from the space used for public services.  (A similar wall had been built at the church in Perugia in  1449).  The choir is not open to visitors but is illustrated in the site of the Casa d' Accoglienza.

Giuseppe Valadier re-modeled the interior of the rest of the church in 1788.

Martyrdom of St Pontian (18th century)

This altarpiece by Francesco Appiani is on the high altar.  It depicts the decapitation of St Pontian at Ponte Sanguinario (see Walk II).

Reliquary of the sacra testa (1805)

This reliquary, which contains the "sacra testa" (cranium) of St Pontian, is usually kept in in the cupboard in front of the altar.  It is however displayed in the Duomo for a week in January each year and then taken back in procession to San Ponziano and displayed for a short while thereafter.  (The nuns provide their delicious biscuits to the congregation after the procession).

The "recent" history of the relic begins in 1703 when the cult of St Pontian was revived after he was credited with having saved the city from the earthquake that devastated much of the surrounding area.  Bishop Pietro Gaddi prayed before what was then an undocumented relic in the crypt of San Ponziano.  In 1745, Bishop Paolo Bonavisa initiated an inquiry into the authenticity of this relic.  The process took some ten years but the relic's authenticity was finally established in 1755.  In 1805, Pope Pius VII formally recognised  it once more and it was then enclosed in a new silver reliquary. 

Reliquary urn (18th century) containing

This urn in the right aisle contains  relics of the Blessed Marina Petrucciani (died 1502).  She had taken vows at Santa Maria della Stella and founded the associated nunnery of San Matteo.  She died at San Matteo and her relics were venerated at Santa Maria della Stella until 1905, when the canonesses brought the urn with them to San Ponziano.

Altarpiece  (1778)

The canonesses brought this altarpiece with them from Santa Maria della Stella: it  is now on the counter-facade.  The altarpiece depicts the circumstances of the foundation of the Ospedale della Stella.

Crypt


Steps on the left at the end of the left aisle lead down to the crypt, which escaped the re-modeling that transformed the church.  It is in the form of a wide nave with two aisles:

  • The four  central columns that support the vaults of the nave have been re-used from an earlier building.  The nave terminates in an apse that terminates in three semi-circular chapels.
  • Each aisle culminates in a semi-circular apsidal chapel.

Left Apsidal Chapel

SS Bernardino of Siena and Pontian (1481)

This fresco, which is dated by inscription, is on the  left wall.  [The young St Pontian is depicted as a knight, kneeling with his horse behind him.]

Frescoes on the altar wall (15th century)

These frescoes depict, from the left:

  • St Sebastian;

  • the Madonna and Child enthroned;

  • St Roch; and

  • the Madonna and Child enthroned (again).


Madonna and Child enthroned with saints (1468)

This fresco, which is dated by inscription, is on the  right wall.  [St Antony Abbot stands to the right and St Pontian kneels to the left.  The figure of St Pontian uses the same iconography as the figure opposite.]

Apse


Three sarcophagi [dates ?] are arranged in a line behind the altar, one in front of each of the semi-circular chapels in the apse.

Crucifixion (15th century)

This interesting fresco in the lunette of the central chapel depicts the Virgin and her ladies at the foot of the cross, with the souls [of whom ?] to the right. 

Trinity (early 15th century)

This fresco, which is attributed to the Maestro della Dormitio di Terni, is in the chapel on the left of the apse.  A group of men kneel to the left and a group of women kneel to the right.





Right Apsidal Chapel

St Michael (ca. 1350)

This fresco, which is attributed to the Maestro di Fossa, in the lunette of this chapel.  A man dressed in red kneels to the left and a nun kneels to the right.

Return to Walk III.