Chiesa di Sant’illuminata

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Category: Chiese

The church of Santa Illuminata, surrounded by a wonderful atmosphere, according to tradition is erected over the tomb of the saint. The building dates back to the 1000s and from the same era is the adjoining monastery. It was run by the Camaldolese monks, in the service of the church of St. Apollinare in Classe in Ravenna, further evidence of the Byzantine corridor which maintained in difficult times contact with Rome (as reflected in a document dated 1138 Annales Camaldulenses). The monastery played an important role from a political point of view, and it is mentioned in several sources, among which a document in 1185 and a privilege of Pope Gregory IX in 1229. Unfortunately, the monastery was closed shortly after and the church passed to the Chapter of the Cathedral of Todi. In 1260 the prior was the illustrious Benedetto Caetani, the future Pope Bonifacio VIII. Today the silence still surrounds the church and the adjoining monastery, the facade, sober and elegant, has a fine portal and three round-arched recesses, but broad, flanked by two blind arches, over a mullioned window opens with a central column and a capital with a crutch, according to the recurring Umbrian typology that is also found in San Felice di Giano, San Faustino, SS. Fidenzio and Terenzio. On the pediment is a medieval plate of the 9th century, decorated with a cross with floral and faunal patterns and a human figure.

At the rear of the church is still visible a part of the superior apse with two slits for lighting. A bell tower is erected on top of the wall, not in symmetry with the center. The interior, unfortunately severely damaged and then restored, consists of a nave, which originally had the raised presbytery with crypt below and was covered by a barrel vault with soffits. The vault collapsed, but there are clearly visible traces on the back wall.

The presbytery was once raised as one of the nearby church of SS. Fidenzio and Terenzio. The crypt shows traces of its ancient splendor. The interior walls were plastered, but you can see traces of frescoes, though much ruined, almost illegible. Of great interest a picture of the 18th-century painter Giovanni Andrea Lezzerini depicting an episode from the life of St. Illuminata.

Curiosity: According to legend, Illuminata from Ravenna seems lived in the sixth century. She walked the Via Amerina to escape from the pagan parents and his persecutors. She arrived in Umbria performed miracles in Massa Martana. She was buried near the village and hers tomb is under the church of Santa Illuminata. According to reports of local historians, about 100 steps from the church to the east were the Roman therme of Papiniano, and in the same direction was the "Fontanella di S.Illuminata" miraculous for fevers tertian