Church of San Tommaso ai Cenci

This church is incorporated into the Palazzo dei Cenci near the bank of the Tiber, where the mole stood in the Middle Ages, from which it took the title in capite molarum (at the head of the mole).

It also had the name of San Tommaso Fraternitatis since it was, for a certain period, the seat of the Romana Fraternitas, one of the most important and ancient Roman associations.

From the annexed Palazzo dei Cenci, from the 15th century onwards, it took its current name; Piranesi's thesis, on the fact that the complex overlooked Balbo's theater, is not shared by all scholars.

In the records of the visit under Alexander VII, the following report is found:

«This church was said in ancient times De capite molarum, nunc de Cenciis, is located in the Rule in the place called Monte Cenci, it is a branch of s. Lorenzo in Damaso. It has an image of the Savior and St. Tommaso touching the wounds of S. N. On the right there is a chapel with paintings relating to S. Francesco, said to be founded by Cristoforo Cenci, today owned by Felice and Cristoforo Cenci heirs of the former. There is a chapel or altar under the invocation of s. Maria della Sbarra which today is owned by D. Giulio de Cenci consistorial lawyer who has an income of about 100 scudi. There is a burial for children, one for men, one for women. He has only one fornicated ship. There is the feast of St. Thomas with the first and second vespers. There is no baptistery, because they are baptized in St. Lorenzo in Damaso. There is an epigraph on the door which recalls that the church was under the patronage of the Cenci. It has a certain income of sc. 250. In the year 1554 Rocco Cenci obtained from Julius III the patronage of the church ... Pius IV in the year 1559 with the bull Ratione congruit confirmed the aforementioned concession which was carried out by the bishops of Tivoli ... In the church there are 3 altars under the invocation of s. Tommaso, on the left that of the ss. Crucifix or St. Catherine without dowry, and another under the invocation of the Nat. by N. S. G. C. The parish has about 25 houses. The bell tower has two bells. "

(M. Armellini, The churches of Rome from the fourth to the nineteenth century, Rome 1891, p. 573-574)

Between the two portals of the facade is the Roman funerary inscription of Marcus Cincius Theophilus; for the assonance with its name it was walled here by the Cenci.

Map: Church of San Tommaso ai Cenci