Basilica of San Domenico, Siena

From the Sanctuary we continued on to the Basilica of San Domenico, one of the most important churches in the city. We could see this church from the streets behind the Piazza del Campo, the top of the tower and the Facciatone, as it is an imposing structure in the distance.

The church was constructed between 1226 to 1265 and enlarged in the 14th century. While it is quite imposing in size, the exterior is fairly simple and does not have the elaborate ornamentation of the Duomo. And the interior is just as stark.

The main reason this church was on our To See list was because of our macabre interest in the mummified remains and skeletons, and in this church is the severed, mummified head of the revered Saint Catherine of Siena. Her right thumb also resides in a smaller reliquary not far from her head.

At the ripe old age of 7, Catherine had her first of many visions, with Jesus on a throne, surrounded by saints. As a teenager, she took a vow of perpetual virginity and gave herself over to prayer and worship. To thwart her family’s attempts to marry her off, Catherine cut her hair off, scalded herself and became a nun. At the age of 28 Catherine was said to have received the stigmata, when five rays shot out of the crucifix she was praying to and pierced her hands, feet and heart. She was seen levitating during prayer, and a priest once said that he saw the Holy Communion fly from his hand straight into Catherine’s mouth.

The beloved Catherine died at 33 and was canonized over a century later. She died while in Rome, but her hometown, Siena, wanted to have her body and when it was realised they would not be able to smuggle out her whole body, the took only her head in a paper bag. Unfortunately, they were stopped by the guards anyway. The thieves prayed to Catherine to protect them and when the guards looked in the bag, they saw not the small withered head of the saint, but hundreds of rose petals. When they returned to Siena, the head had rematerialized, Saint Catherine’s final miracle.

Her head was placed in a splendid reliquary in the church while the rest of her body remains in Rome, and her foot is said to be in a reliquary in Venice.

We were unable to take photos within the church (although Brad did manage to sneak a couple) and beside the blessed head of the Saint there really wasn’t much in the church to admire. It was a long hot walk to the church and while the mummified head was interesting, the church really didn’t inspire us and I wouldn’t make the walk again, especially on a hot day.Read more