San Brizio (12th century)

According to tradition, an angel told St Brictius to buld an oratory here in the 4th century, and he was buried here when he died soon afterwards.   There is some evidence of an early church here:

  • A sarcophagus (6th century) that once housed the presumed relics of St Brictius, survives in the apse of the crypt (see below).
  • Architectural fragments (6th century) have been re-used in the main part of the church (see below).

Another church seems to have been built here in the 9th or 10th century.  All that remains of it is a capital that was re-used on one of the columns in the crypt.

The present parish church was first documented in 1231 and the adjacent canonica in 1252. 

The Diocesan Archive of Spoleto preserves three valuable parchment volumes, known as the Leggendari del Duomo (Cathedral Legendaries):

  • The 3rd volume (early 13th century) comes from San Brizio.

Both of these contain accounts of the Legend of the Twelve Syrians, which is the main source for the life of St Brictius.  This legend is thought to have been written in the 7th century by a scribe (presumably a monk) living at San Brizio in order to explain the dedication of the church.

Exterior

A number of Roman fragments, including inscriptions were incorporated into the building of the present church.

The upper part of the facade was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1767. 

  • The bifore window high up in the facade was rebuilt.  (It used as a model for the restoration of the windows at San Gregorio Maggiore and Sant' Eufemia in Spoleto).  
  • The two monofore window below and to the sides of it were closed.

The campanile was added sometime in the fifteenth century.  Its upper part seems to have been modeled on that of at San Gregorio Maggiore, Spoleto.

The inscription on the architrave of the main portal records its construction in 1541.

Interior

The interior is in the form a nave and two aisles.  Steps in the nave lead to the presbytery, which is raised over the crypt.

Two side altars, one in each wall, contain marbel panels and columns (6th century) that probably came from altars in the first church on the site.

Frescoes (attributed to the Maestro di Eggi (15th century)

Among the frescoes in the church that have recently been restored are three that are attributed to the Maestro di Eggi or his workshop:

  • St Brictius (right wall);
  • the Madonna and child (left wall); and
  • SS Antony Abbot and James (left wall), probably a workshop production.

Holy Family (1542)

This panel, which now serves as the altarpiece of the high altar, was restored after the 1997 earthquake.  This revealed an inscription that recorded the date and other circumstances of the commission: Bartolomeo Pancani (a canon of San Brizio) commissioned it from Jacopo Siculo.

The iconography is extremely unusual.  The pregnant Virgin reads calmly as Joseph seems to storm out of the room, a hammer in one hand and a staff in the other.  An angel reassures him as to the circumstances in which the baby was conceived.  To the right, St Brictius in his bishop's robes kneels in prayer before the Virgin.

Last Supper (16th century)

This fresco above the triumphal arch that leads to the presbytery is attributed to Jacopo Siculo.

Crypt

The crypt under the presbytery is in the form of a wide nave and two aisles with an apse and two apsidal chapels.  The nave is divided into two by a central colonnade.

The sarcophagus (6th century) that once housed the presumed relics of St Brictius, stands in front of the pilaster at the centre of the apse.


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