San Biagio: Benedictine Rule to Franciscan Control

Title

San Biagio: Benedictine Rule to Franciscan Control

Description

Founded in the 10th century by the Benedictines, the San Biagio Hospice was built near the edge of the Roman city wall. It was a part of the San Cosimato Monastery complex during the Benedictine rule (the two are separated by only 250 meters). San Biagio functioned as a hospice and hospital for the poor and pilgrims.

Saint Francis of Assisi in his lifetime paid more than six visits to Rome starting in 1209, and always stayed at San Biagio, thanks to the arrangements made by a faithful friend of his, Giacoma Frangipane de’ Settesoli (later known as “Fra Jacopa”, who we discuss in stop #3). During his 1219 visit, Saint Francis and his followers began to support the hospice of San Biagio to host pilgrims, who arrived from the nearby harbor of Ripa Grande. In the early 13th century, St. Francis stayed at San Biagio while in Rome to seek approval for the Franciscan order by the pope. Pope Gregory IX ordered the Benedictine monks to hand over control of San Biagio to the Franciscans in 1229, three years after Francis’s death.

Abstract

Because of the dense concentration of people near the Tiber during the Middle Ages, new religious centers were built in the uninhabited farmland where there was available space. The San Biagio Hospice was built near the edge of the Roman city wall: it was the first place that St. Francis lodged when he visited Rome. The hospice was replaced by the church of San Francesco a Ripa in 1601 and is still actively used as a Franciscan church.

Creator

Shaylin Nguyen (2016), Russell Li (2019), Rebecca Margolis (2021)

Edited by Julia Tassava (2026)

Identifier

biagiofrancescoripa_2015

Coverage

1100s

Spatial Coverage

Piazza di S. Francesco d'Assisi, 88, 00153 Roma RM

Description

Founded in the 10th century by the Benedictines, the San Biagio Hospice was built near the edge of the Roman city wall. It was a part of the San Cosimato Monastery complex during the Benedictine rule (the two are separated by only 250 meters). San Biagio functioned as a hospice and hospital for the poor and pilgrims.

Saint Francis of Assisi in his lifetime paid more than six visits to Rome starting in 1209, and always stayed at San Biagio, thanks to the arrangements made by a faithful friend of his, Giacoma Frangipane de’ Settesoli (later known as “Fra Jacopa”, who we discuss in stop #3). During his 1219 visit, Saint Francis and his followers began to support the hospice of San Biagio to host pilgrims, who arrived from the nearby harbor of Ripa Grande. In the early 13th century, St. Francis stayed at San Biagio while in Rome to seek approval for the Franciscan order by the pope. Pope Gregory IX ordered the Benedictine monks to hand over control of San Biagio to the Franciscans in 1229, three years after Francis’s death.

Creator

Shaylin Nguyen (2016), Russell Li (2019), Rebecca Margolis (2021)

Edited by Julia Tassava (2026)

Coverage

1100s

Geolocation