The Basilica of Santa Francesca Romana is located in a place that is central and fundamental for the ancient and modern Rome: the Roman Forum. A spot of Rome full of histories and legends, and some of them are related to this basilica.
Originally this Christian building was called Santa Maria Nova to distinguish it from another church, Santa Maria Antiqua, which was on the slopes of the Palatine, re-using the rooms of the palace of Domitian. Unfortunately, around the 847 a.D., Santa Maria Antiqua got buried due to an earthquake. Imagine how, just at the beginning of the last century, it was dug, bringing back to light the wonders that today, in the summer months, can be seen by the public. However the Basilica of Santa Francesca Romana was founded by Leo IV at 850 a.D., just three years after the burial of the first church. To tie with a red thread the fate of the first church, originally, the diakonia commissioned by pope Leo IV was named Santa Maria Nova. A way, moreover, to reaffirm again the primacy of the Church of Rome against the ancient roman civilization, whereas the current basilica stands, still today, on the slopes of the borders of what was the Roman Forum, the political and economic center of imperial , republican and regal Rome. A basilica, that one of Santa Francesca Romana, so ancient had modifications over the centuries, restorations which changed, and maybe improved, the beauty of this place. Today it is still possible to see, for example, some of the architectural remains (especially marble inlays) coming from the ancient roman temple of Venus and Rome, on which the basilica rests. A large pagan building reused to build a Chrstian church: there are several examples like this one in Rome. In the course of the Middle Ages the basilica was ruled by the Regular Canons from Lucca and then by the benedictines. Today, in the galleries that run around the beautiful medieval cloister, there is the Antiquarium of the Forum. It is a unique place where it is possible to admire the archaeological evidences found in the course of the excavations in the area of the Forum.
Apart from this, however, I would like to mention the reason why, today, this basilica is dedicated to Santa Francesca Romana. We are in 1440, when the saint was buried here. Who was this Francesca? Call "Ceccolella" she was a great example of faith, respect and mercy. Just when she was 12 years old she was forced to marry a man of the family of the Ponziani. In spite of this marriage of interest, that joined to a noble family, the young Francesca had only one idea in head: do good. It is said, therefore, that the house Ponziani was always full of poor, destitute and sick, to which the pious Francesca gave him a hand as he could. Imagine the diatribes and arguments noticed between her and the husband, the father of him...a part from this, and in spite of this I would say, she managed to give three sons to her husband. However two of them did not survive for a long time. Only one, named Baptist, had the greatest luck, until he fell ill due to a plague. Francesca, always ready to bring joy and help to the sick, did her best especially with the son, and managed to heal him. Her ultimate sacrifice, however, was to have the same plague, that lead to her death.
A sad story perhaps, full of charity and christian mercy, which resulted in the basilica dedicated to her the center of attention. I conclude by saying that a visit to this basilica is well worth it for the beauty in itself, for some works of art are absolutely valuable as the so-called Glykophilusa Virgin, a precious icon of the V century a.D., that was brought to light during the work of restoration took place in 1949. Or, not far from the apse, on the wall you will find a small grate that covers two holes in it: they would have been left by St Peter, when we knelt down to pray to God, the church, the Lord's help to defeat the evil Simon the Magician. From relics quite unusual in works of art, this basilica has so much to offer...