Church of Santa Maria Maggiore – Sanctuary of the Spoliation

The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore stands on Piazza del Vescovado, across from the 16th-century Lions’ Fountain. It was built over a Roman building known as Propertius’s House (1st century AD), and it was Assisi’s first cathedral, a title that Bishop Hugo transferred to San Rufino in the 11th century.

The gabled façade was rebuilt in the 12th century by a master named Giovanni, and is divided by pilasters into three parts. In the center is the portal, with a lunette made from part of the basin of a Roman fountain; the upper part is adorned with a small rose window.

The interior is divided into a nave and two side aisles. The walls show traces of decoration from the 14th and 15th centuries. The chancel, where the high altar is located, is set over the crypt, which dates from the 9th century and is the oldest part of the building, supported by columns and capitals from an earlier period coming from other buildings in the town.

The church is also known as the Sanctuary of the Spoliation, since it is in this square that Francis is said to have stripped off his clothes in the presence of Bishop Guido of Assisi and his father, Pietro di Bernardone, renouncing his earthly goods and wealth.

The importance of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore as a religious center and pilgrimage destination has been revived in recent years, given the large number of faithful who flock to pray before the body of the Blessed Carlo Acutis, which rests in the right aisle of the church. Carlo, who was beatified on October 10, 2020 by Cardinal Agostino Vallini representing Pope Francis, lies in a casket, dressed in a sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers, like a young man of his times.

Next to the building stands the Bishop’s Palace (Palazzo del Vescovado), built in the 17th century by Bishop Crescenzi. Inside, some rooms are the home of the Memory Museum, which preserves documents and photographs attesting to the support given to Jews and political refugees by the Assisi clergy and cloistered monasteries during the Nazi occupation of the town (1943-1944).

Assisi for everyone

Do you need more information on the accessibility of the monument? We have a dedicated section where you can find all the useful information for people with motor disabilities to visit Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore – Santuario della Spogliazione