Chiesa di Santa Maria in Portico, Rome

Of course, in our wanderings, if we come across a church we will usually pop our heads in to check it out. Each church is so unique and full of history. The Chiesa Di Santa Maria in Portico in Campitelli was no exception. Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is built on the site of a previous church dedicated to Santa Maria in Campitelli, as a shrine for a small ancient icon of Our Lady, that was believed by many to have miraculously halted a terrible plague epidemic in 1656.

While this church isn’t as elaborate as others, the simplicity of the main alter gave it a real elegance against the elaborately decorated side alters. We were glad we stopped to check it out.Read more