Key to Umbria: Terni
 


San Cristoforo (12th or 13th century)


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The church was built on Roman foundations from materials retrieved from Roman and early Christian buildings.  Pope Gregory IX confirmed it as a possession of the Abbazia di San Pietro in Valle in 1231.  It was seriously damaged during Second World War and largely rebuilt in 1949, although in a style close to the original.  The portal dates to the 15th century but the two windows above are modern and spoil the appearance of the facade.  A large chapel was built to the right of the church in the 1960s.

A number of sculptures, steles and other architectural elements from the early Christian period that were retrieved during this restoration were incorporated into the external walls. 



This Roman funerary inscription (ca. 100 AD), which was also discovered during the rebuilding, was embedded in the left wall.  It commemorates a freedwoman, Tamudia Euphrosine.




A stone on which St Francis apparently stood to preach (perhaps outside the Duomo before Bishop Ranierio) stands by the side of the church, where is serves as the base for a modern statue of the saint.  He is said to have performed two miracles here:

  1. ✴he sweetened the sour wine of the priest at San Cristoforo; and then

  2. ✴he raised to life a boy who had been crushed.



Interior


The interior, which is in the form of a single nave with a semi-circular apse, preserves some interesting frescoes, although they are (as one might expect) badly damaged.

Water stoup (16th century)

This marble water stoup is near the entrance to the church.  The marble bowl is held in a large sculpted hand and has a relief of the kneeling St Francis on its exterior surface.





Frescoes in the apse (15th century)

These frescoes include:

  1. ✴SS Sebastian and Christopher (1487), on the left; and





  1. ✴the Madonna and Child with SS Leonard, Antony Abbot and another saint, on the right.




SS Sebastian, Christopher and Roch (15th century)

This fresco, which has been badly restored,  is on the right wall.




Nativity and bishop saint (15th century)

This fresco on the right wall depicts the Virgin and St Joseph kneeling in a meadow before the baby Jesus, with a bishop saint to the left.



Unidentified saint (1499)

This fresco on the right wall is dated by inscription.







Two saints (14th century)

These figures of St Antony Abbot and another saint are on the right wall.




St Bernardino of Siena (15th century)

This fresco fragment is on the left wall.




Fresco Fragments (15th century)

These fragments, which  include some lovely faces, are to the left of the fresco above.





Frescoes on the counter-façade (15th century)

These superimposed frescoes on the right depict:

  1. ✴Christ in judgement;

  2. ✴the Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John the Evangelist; and

  3. ✴the Madonna and Child enthroned with St Antony Abbot.




Risen Christ (15th century)

This damaged fresco is [where ??]





Madonna and Child (15th century)

This detached fresco, which is now on the left wall of the modern chapel (to the right of the church), came from San Tommaso.





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