Church of San Salvatore alle Coppelle

The Church of San Salvatore alle Coppelle is a church in Rome.

A walled inscription inside the church attests that it was consecrated by Pope Celestine III on November 26, 1195, although it cannot be excluded that this inscription refers to a restoration, and not to the actual construction of the church, which therefore it would be older.

In a bull of Honorius III of 1222 the church is called de Cupellis, as well as in the catalogs of the sixteenth century: this name seems to derive from the fact that the manufacturers of cupels or barrels had their shops in the vicinity of the church.

An ancient inscription, now no longer existing, stated that the church was built on the house of Santa Abbasia, a noblewoman who linked her existence to works of mercy, establishing a Monte di Pietà in her home; hence the medieval name of the church of San Salvatore de Pietate. Others, on the other hand, derive this name from the proximity to the so-called Arco della Pietà, from the Trajan age, now disappeared (but still existing in the fourteenth century, although in ruins).

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Furthermore, it seems that this church can be identified with the San Salvatore de Sere (da messere), mentioned in some medieval documents.

In 1404 Innocent VII entrusted the church to the University of the Sellai who remained there for three centuries.

From 1633 the church was the seat of a Confraternity of the SS. Sacrament of Divine Perseverance, which provided assistance to pilgrims and strangers who fell ill in inns, hospitalizing them as needed in one of the numerous hospitals in the city, or warning relatives and taking into custody the personal effects of those who died. For this purpose, on the occasion of the Jubilee of 1750, a mailbox was excavated on the side of the church, which is still visible; here anyone who hosted foreigners (innkeepers and even private hosts), if any of these fell ill at home he had to post a ticket to the brotherhood. The sanctions established denote how the activity of the brotherhood was essentially a health police activity, on the one hand, and public order control on the other, also as a guarantee for foreigners.

The medieval church underwent several transformations: it was rebuilt in 1750, based on the architecture of Carlo De Dominicis; in 1858-60 two frescoes from 1195 were disfigured. Of the medieval church there remains the beautiful bell tower, built on the occasion of the 12th century restoration, and today partly incorporated into the nearby building.

Map: Church of San Salvatore alle Coppelle