Rome Self-Guided Walking Tour following a Patron Saint of Europe & Doctor of the Church
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St. Catherine of Siena was born in 1347 and a Tertiary Domenican nun and mystic who was an influential figure in the Middle Ages. She convinced Pope Gregory XI, who had carry out the papacy from Avignon, France, to move back to Rome. She visited Avignon during these efforts and wrote letters imploring the pope and other church leaders to bring unity to the church and focus again on its mission. The time had also been marked by tremendous unrest between the Italian city states, and she hoped that restoring the papacy to Rome would bring stabilize to the region and mitigate any attempts by warring factions to try to install their own popes.
Her spiritual writings and letters are sumarized in a work called, The Dialogue.
Read The Dialogue Here
St. Catherine's body is split between two locations. While her head is kept at the Basilica of St. Dominic in Siena, Italy, the remainder of her body is beneath the main altar of the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. She died in 1380 at the age of 33. As the story goes, she was first buried in Rome but the people of Siena wanted to enshrine a major relic of her at their city just a few years after her death.
The first Pope to be elected after the papacy's return to Rome was Pope Martin V. His tomb is also placed before the main altar of the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran, the location of the Chair of the Bishop of Rome. Pope Gregory XI's tomb is at the Church of Santa Francesca Romana in Rome.
Footsteps of St. Catherine of Siena
Estimated Time: 3 Hours
Locations in Rome:
Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
Gothic church and resting place of Saint Catherine of Siena
Built atop the site of a former temple dedicated to Minerva, this Basilica has a complex history leading up to its’ present site which is known by many as the resting place of Saint Catherine of Siena, one of only two Gothic churches in Rome and one of the oldest homes to the Order of Preachers.
Upon approaching the Basilica, a distinct obelisk with a supporting base in the form of an elephant greets pilgrims. Moved from the nearby Campo Marzo to the plaza, the base was built by none other than the renowned Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Construction of the current basilica began in 1280, with major renovations and changes taking place over the centuries. The body of St. Catherine of Siena rests prominently beneath the high altar while renowned painter Blessed Fra Angelico is also buried in the church. A side altar of the church also holds the famous crucifix that is said to have encouraged St. Camillus of Lellis to found his order.
Continuing a centuries old tradition, the church is still maintained by the Order of Preachers who live in an attached monastery. The community still gathers to pray the Liturgy of the Hours together in the Basilica three times a day.
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Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran
First church constructed after legalization of Christianity. Seat of the Bishop of Rome - the Pope
Known in Italian as San Giovanni Laterano, this is the odlest of the four major basilicas in Rome, which include St. Peter's Basilica, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. The property originally belonged to the Lateran family, and was inherited by Constantine's wife, Fausta. Emperor Constantine then donated it to Pope Miltiades I after the legalization of Christianity around the year 311.
The papal basilica to this day is the cathedral of Rome and official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome. It was the papal residence until the Avignon Papacy. Pope Martin V, the pontiff who brought the papacy back to Rome, is buried before the main altar.
The relics of the heads of St. Peter and Paul are located in the ciborium above at the center of the church. Tradition holds that a large relic of a table on the left side of the church was the table on which Jesus and the apostles celebrated the Last Supper.
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Statue of St. Catherine of Siena
A Monument dedicated to a key spiritual figure a doctor of the church during the Middle Ages
Along the pilgrimage route from Castel Sant’Angelo to St. Peter’s Basilica stands a marble monument honoring Saint Catherine of Siena, one of the great spiritual figures of the Church. Positioned near the gardens of Castel Sant’Angelo, the statue marks a place of quiet reflection on charity, courage, and service.
Created in the mid-20th century by Italian sculptor Francesco Messina, the statue portrays Saint Catherine as a woman of action and compassion. She is shown leaning forward beneath a flowing cloak, suggesting movement and self-giving love rather than stillness—an artistic choice that reflects her lifelong dedication to serving others.
Surrounding the monument are sculpted reliefs that recall significant moments from her life, offering visual insight into her spiritual mission. A mystic, reformer, and later named Patroness of Italy, Saint Catherine played a pivotal role in Church history, most notably through her efforts to encourage the pope’s return to Rome from Avignon.
Set beneath the trees near Castel Sant’Angelo, this monument invites pilgrims walking toward the Vatican to pause and remember a saint whose faith combined deep prayer with bold action for the unity of the Church.
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See Also:
Siena
Visit the Tuscan city where St. Catherine grew up and lived as a nun. See her relics at the Basilica of San Domenico and take a stroll to Piazza del Campo, home to the famous Palio horse race. See the map for all the sites related to her life and legacy. Open Map
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