Santa Maria Madre della Chiesa is a late 20th century parish church at Via del Casale di Santa Maria 50, south of the Via Casilina in the suburb of Pantano Borghese. This is in the Borghesiana zone (part of it, including the metro station, is across the city limits).
The dedication of the church is to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her title of "Mother of the Church".
This church is in the municipality of Rome, but belongs to the diocese of Frascati.
History[]
The locality was messily and mostly illegally developed as a suburb after the Second World War. In belated response, a permanent church was built in 1983.
In 2014 the new Linea C terminus station was opened, which will certainly attract future suburban development. Anticipating this is the new parish chapel of Sant'Anna a Torre Jacova, built in 2004.
Exterior[]
The plan of the church is based on two nested squares, with the major axis being on a shared diagonal. The main worshipping area occupies the smaller square, which is roofed by a low pyramid in a blackish composition. In between the smaller and larger squares are side aisles, with shallowly pitched and tiled roofs. These roofs overhang the side walls.
The back of the church, including somewhat over half the length of the two far diagonal sides, is occupied by the parish office block. This is L-shaped, fitting around the far angle of the inner square of the plan. The ends of the L are single-storey, but the central unit is three-storey and fits around a low campanile tower. The far roofline of the pyramidal roof is taken up in a smooth curve to the near top angle of the campanile. The far diagonal sides of the campanile have two triangular screen slabs with a gap in between, at the far top corner, in which the bells are hung.
The church edifice is low-walled, the fabric being rendered in a cream colour. There is a crypt, and the windows for this can be seen in a random rubble foundation plinth which is not rendered. Each of the four side walls has a pair of vertical rectangular windows without frames.
Interior[]
The simple interior is dominated by the pyramidal roof, which is in wooden planking and rafters. The walls are in a cream colour, with a deep roofline architrave in yellow.
The most interesting artwork is the tabernacle, which is circular and set in a large silver-gilt disc which is chased in a swirling pattern. It is in the far corner, behind the altar.
Liturgy[]
In July 2018, Mass was being celebrated:
Weekdays 17:00 (18:00 during DST);
Sundays and Solemnities 8:00, 11:00, 17:00 (18:00 during DST).
The parish has one subsidiary Mass centre, Sant'Anna a Torre Jacova.