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St Mary in the Fortress in Jenne: the Birthplace of Pope Alexander IV
At the highest point of Jenne, perched between the Simbruini and Affilani Mountains, stands the small Church of Santa Maria in Arce, overlooking the gorge of the Upper Aniene Valley. It was originally the chapel of the castle where, around 1190, Pope Alexander IV, formerly known as Rinaldo II of Jenne, was born. Almost nothing remains of the castle, but its position, on the border between the Papal States and the Swabian Kingdom, shows its strategic importance in the Middle Ages.
Frescoes commissioned by the Pope
The oldest frescoes were probably commissioned by Pope Alexander IV himself, who always maintained a strong bond with Jenne. Today only some fragments survive, still characterised by vivid colours, attributed to the anonymous, so-called “Third Master of Anagni”, a representative of the 13th-century Roman school, a blend of Gothic realism and elements of the Byzantine tradition. In the apse, the paintings are from a later phase, dating to the 15th century.
The early 20th-century extension and the feast of 8 September
At the beginning of the 20th century the church was expanded, with the addition of a new wing, but the large volumes and small windows looking out onto the woods still preserve the austere simplicity of the ancient fortified chapel. On 8 September, for the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the place fills up with residents and visitors. At Christmas, the Living Nativity scene of Jenne takes shape in front of the church's frescoes.
