San Benedetto Monastery, Subiaco

A magnificent full-length fresco portrait of St. Francis of Assisi, protected under glass in St. Gregory's Chapel. It is labeled Fr. Franciscus and the saint is shown without the stigmata or a halo, indicating it was painted during his lifetime and before 1224.

The eastern influence of the chapel's Roman painters can especially be seen in this portrait - Francis is shown facing front and with one eye larger than the other, recalling the famous icon of Christ at St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai.

A magnificent portrait of St. Francis of Assisi, painted during his lifetime.

Consecration of St. Gregory's Chapel, with St. Francis looking on.

View of St. Benedict's Monastery at Subiaco, clinging to a mountain cliff.
Click to enlarge and see our Subiaco Photo Gallery for many more views

View of St. Benedict's Monastery at Subiaco, clinging to a mountain cliff.
Click to enlarge and see our Subiaco Photo Gallery for many more views

St. Gregory's Chapel

A spiral stairway leads from just outside the Cave Chapel up to St. Gregory's Chapel, which contains some of the oldest frescoes at San Benedetto. The frescoes date from the early 13th century and were done by Byzantine-influenced Roman painters.

Protected under glass in the corner is a magnificent full-length fresco portrait of St. Francis of Assisi. It is labeled Fr. Franciscus and the saint is shown without the stigmata or a halo, indicating it was painted during his lifetime, before 1224. The eastern influence of the chapel's painters can especially be seen in this portrait - Francis is shown facing front and with one eye larger than the other, recalling the famous icon of Christ at St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai.

A fresco to the left of the window shows Cardinal Ugolino (later Pope Gregory IX) consecrating this chapel. A friar is standing behind him, who appears also to be St. Francis; if so, this means he was present at the consecration.

Other frescoes in the chapel depict the Apparition of the Angel to Fr. Oddone; St. Michael the Archangel; the Crucifixion with Longinus, the sponge-bearer, the Virgin and St. John; the Savior Blessing; St. Peter and St. Paul; and the head of St. Onufrius. The vault is decorated with the Symbols of the Four Evangelists and Four Cherubim. The mural of the wounded Christ to the right of the window is an ex-voto of the 15th century. Outside the entrance is a fresco of St. Gregory the Great and Job, by the same school as the interior of the chapel. The vault in the entrance hall is decorated with peacocks and white swans.