Italy: One of the French Churches in Rome Reopens
Interior of the Church of Saints Claude and Andrew
After two years of restoration work in preparation for the Holy Year 2025, the Church of Saints Claude and Andrew of the Francs-Comtois of Burgundy reopened its doors on February 6, 2025. Located in the center of Rome, it was built between 1728 and 1731, boasting rich architectural decoration and numerous works by French and Italian artists.
The work, which began in 2022, included maintenance of the roofs and restoration of the murals, stucco, marble, and stained-glass windows, which have regained their vivid colors. The Church of the Francs-Comtois of Burgundy now benefits from upgraded electrical systems and new lighting.
The Church of Saints Claude and Andrew owes its existence to the history of the County of Burgundy. In the mid-17th century, Francs-Comtois, which had just suffered a particularly bloody war, saw its population almost halved. Among those who chose exile, 10,000 to 12,000 Comtois settled in Rome.
At the end of August 1650, a confraternity was created under the protection of St. Andrew and St. Claude, patron saints of the Francs-Comtois, with the aim of opening a church and founding a hospital for the poor Francs-Comtois residents of Rome. The oratory acquired in 1656 became too small and bequests and donations increased, so the confraternity decided to build a church.
Antoine Dériset, a young architect from Lyon, awarded the Prix de Rome in 1720, drew up plans for a Greek cross church with a dome and a Baroque-style façade inscribed on the pediment: "To St. Andrew, Apostle, and St. Claude, Bishop, the nation of the County of Burgundy has dedicated a temple" in Latin.
After the consecration in 1731, the initial decorations consisted of white tones, highlighting the polychrome marble high altar, topped by Pietro Barberi's 1730 altarpiece, Apparition of the Virgin to St. Andrew and St. Claude. In the 20th century, the church was enriched with paintings by Cleto Luzzi. In 1939, four canvases adorned the niches that formerly housed sculptures by Pierre de l'Estache. In 1949, the chapels decorations were completed.
The Church of St. Andrew and St. Claude of the Francs-Comtois-de-Bourgogne is one of the five French churches in Rome, owned by the Pious Establishments of France, whose main mission is to welcome pilgrims, help vulnerable people, and promote the presence of France in Rome through its churches, its language, and its culture.
(Sources : cath.ch/église Jura/fondation du patrimoine/DICI n°454 – FSSPX.Actualités)
Illustration : Ambassade de France auprès du Saint-Siège
