Monastero di Sant’ Apollinare (1286)

This community of female penitents dedicated to St Apollinaris was formed early in the 13th century near Bastia, just across the river from the Monastero di San Paolo delle Abbadesse. 

In 1264, the nuns acquired land on this site outside the Roman walls, but they were unable to build a church here until 1286, when Pope Honorius IV reduced the area of the zone around San Francesco from which other religious orders were excluded.  It may have been at this point that the community adopted the Benedictine Rule. 

The convent was subsequently enclosed within the new city walls (begun in 1316).  In 1340, the community of San Paolo delle Abbadesse moved to the adjacent site: it developed a scandalous reputation and was absorbed by that of Sant' Apollonare in 1442.

Sant' Apollinare was suppressed in 1866.  The nuns bought what had been the Monastero della Benedetta (see Walk I) in 1881.  The Benedictine nuns from San Giacomo de Murorupto bought the present site in 1897, and re-dedicated it as the Monastero delle Benedettine di San Giuseppe. 

The ex-church of Sant' Apollinare, which now forms part of the convent, has been divided into a number of rooms that now form part of the monastery.  A Crucifix (early 14th century) by the Maestro Espressionista di Santa Chiara that came from the nuns’ choir is now in the Pinacoteca.

Frescoes in the ex-Choir

These depict:

  • the Annunciation and the Crucifixion (14th century) attributed to Puccio Capanna; 

  • the Stigmatisation of St Francis (14th century) attributed to Pace di Bartolo; and

  • the Madonna and Child with SS Rufinus and Roch (late 15th century).
Frescoes [where ???]

These depict:

  • St Christopher and the Madonna and Child (14th century):
  • the Madonna of the Olive Tree (early 15th century), the story of the apparition of the Virgin that was granted to a small boy in an olive grove outside Assisi in 1399 during the Bianchi marches; and
  • SS Apollinaris, Michael and Onuphrius.
Return to Walk II