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| Aging Church Passes Digital Collection Plate | Aging Church Passes Digital Collection Plate |
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| ROME — Not far from the banks of the Tiber River, the 800-year-old church of St. Francis at Ripa has never been one of Rome’s most famous destinations. A quietly glorious Baroque sanctuary, with a famous statue by Bernini tucked into a side chapel, it has often been overlooked by tourists and Roman Catholics in a city so rich with other splendors. | |
| Then, a year ago, a new pope was elected from Argentina who unexpectedly took the name Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the venerated Catholic saint born in the 12th century who dedicated himself to the poor. It so happened that the small church by the Tiber (named for St. Francis) had a dark upstairs room where he slept centuries ago during his visits to Rome. It even had the stone that St. Francis purportedly used as a pillow. | Then, a year ago, a new pope was elected from Argentina who unexpectedly took the name Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the venerated Catholic saint born in the 12th century who dedicated himself to the poor. It so happened that the small church by the Tiber (named for St. Francis) had a dark upstairs room where he slept centuries ago during his visits to Rome. It even had the stone that St. Francis purportedly used as a pillow. |
| Interest suddenly ticked up. Tour groups started coming by. For the Rev. Stefano Tamburo, the Franciscan friar in charge of the church, this was welcome news, except that the building had not been significantly renovated since the 17th century. The room, or cell, used by St. Francis needed repair, yet the church did not have $125,000 for the project. | Interest suddenly ticked up. Tour groups started coming by. For the Rev. Stefano Tamburo, the Franciscan friar in charge of the church, this was welcome news, except that the building had not been significantly renovated since the 17th century. The room, or cell, used by St. Francis needed repair, yet the church did not have $125,000 for the project. |
| Franciscans take a vow of poverty and for centuries have depended on charity. So that is what Father Tamburo and the other Franciscans at the church are now doing, if with a contemporary approach: They have begun a 30-day online fund-raising campaign, using the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. | Franciscans take a vow of poverty and for centuries have depended on charity. So that is what Father Tamburo and the other Franciscans at the church are now doing, if with a contemporary approach: They have begun a 30-day online fund-raising campaign, using the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. |
| “We have nothing against modern tools of communication,” Father Tamburo said. “What is important to us is our tradition. Not the tools that we use to spread that tradition.” | “We have nothing against modern tools of communication,” Father Tamburo said. “What is important to us is our tradition. Not the tools that we use to spread that tradition.” |
| The church and attached monastery house nine Franciscans, about a dozen or so migrants who are receiving shelter and assistance, and three computers. Father Tamburo said he had not known much about online fund-raising until the idea was suggested by a media relations firm, but now he checks several times a day to see how the campaign is progressing. (So far, the answer is slowly. The campaign has raised just over $34,780 with nine days to go.) | The church and attached monastery house nine Franciscans, about a dozen or so migrants who are receiving shelter and assistance, and three computers. Father Tamburo said he had not known much about online fund-raising until the idea was suggested by a media relations firm, but now he checks several times a day to see how the campaign is progressing. (So far, the answer is slowly. The campaign has raised just over $34,780 with nine days to go.) |
| Situated at the edge of Trastevere, an ancient neighborhood of narrow, cobblestone streets now known for its restaurants and night life, the St. Francis at Ripa church dates to the early 1200s and was erected on the site of a medieval hospital. St. Francis had won admiration for his work with lepers at the hospital, and the land was eventually handed over to his Franciscan order. | Situated at the edge of Trastevere, an ancient neighborhood of narrow, cobblestone streets now known for its restaurants and night life, the St. Francis at Ripa church dates to the early 1200s and was erected on the site of a medieval hospital. St. Francis had won admiration for his work with lepers at the hospital, and the land was eventually handed over to his Franciscan order. |
| His cell is above what is now the church’s choir stall, located behind the altar. It is a spare, darkened room, with a wooden altar, which contains relics such as shards of bones from saints and martyrs. Behind a metal screen is a stone that St. Francis is said to have used as a pillow to lean against as he slept in a sitting position in the cell. (Such stones were considered holy in medieval Christianity.) | His cell is above what is now the church’s choir stall, located behind the altar. It is a spare, darkened room, with a wooden altar, which contains relics such as shards of bones from saints and martyrs. Behind a metal screen is a stone that St. Francis is said to have used as a pillow to lean against as he slept in a sitting position in the cell. (Such stones were considered holy in medieval Christianity.) |
| Father Tamburo said the cell was nearly destroyed during the 17th century, when wealthy patrons financed a major renovation that transformed the simpler medieval sanctuary into one with the lush, ornate features of the Baroque era. | Father Tamburo said the cell was nearly destroyed during the 17th century, when wealthy patrons financed a major renovation that transformed the simpler medieval sanctuary into one with the lush, ornate features of the Baroque era. |
| “This is not the Franciscan style,” Father Tamburo said, chuckling as he walked through the nave, which was filled with dusty statuary of former cardinals and noble patrons, and with fading frescoes on the ceilings of the side chapels. | “This is not the Franciscan style,” Father Tamburo said, chuckling as he walked through the nave, which was filled with dusty statuary of former cardinals and noble patrons, and with fading frescoes on the ceilings of the side chapels. |
| During the Baroque-era renovation, the architect wanted to raze the St. Francis cell in order to expand and elevate the choir stall. Franciscan monks opposed the razing, according to letters found at the church, and eventually the cardinal overseeing the project intervened. | During the Baroque-era renovation, the architect wanted to raze the St. Francis cell in order to expand and elevate the choir stall. Franciscan monks opposed the razing, according to letters found at the church, and eventually the cardinal overseeing the project intervened. |
| “The cardinal had a dream in which St. Francis appeared to him and said, ‘So, do you want to kick me out of my house?’ ” Father Tamburo said. | “The cardinal had a dream in which St. Francis appeared to him and said, ‘So, do you want to kick me out of my house?’ ” Father Tamburo said. |
| The current renovation aims to preserve the cell and possibly reveal its original character. Alessia Scazzuso, a restoration artist, first examined the cell in 2009 and proposed using laser technology to assess the walls and learn what is underneath. One question is whether St. Francis inscribed the walls with the tau symbol from the ancient Hebrew alphabet, as he was known to do in some other places. | The current renovation aims to preserve the cell and possibly reveal its original character. Alessia Scazzuso, a restoration artist, first examined the cell in 2009 and proposed using laser technology to assess the walls and learn what is underneath. One question is whether St. Francis inscribed the walls with the tau symbol from the ancient Hebrew alphabet, as he was known to do in some other places. |
| “We want to give back the real history of the cell by studying the layers in the walls,” she said. “We don’t know what is under the walls.” | “We want to give back the real history of the cell by studying the layers in the walls,” she said. “We don’t know what is under the walls.” |
| Ms. Scazzuso’s proposal was approved in 2009 by Italy’s Ministry of Interior, which owns and administers the church along with 750 historical churches across the country. But the fund dedicated to maintenance and renovations was only 1.7 million euros, or just over $2 million, last year after the budget cuts that were part of austerity efforts by Italy’s government. No money was allocated for renovating the St. Francis cell. | Ms. Scazzuso’s proposal was approved in 2009 by Italy’s Ministry of Interior, which owns and administers the church along with 750 historical churches across the country. But the fund dedicated to maintenance and renovations was only 1.7 million euros, or just over $2 million, last year after the budget cuts that were part of austerity efforts by Italy’s government. No money was allocated for renovating the St. Francis cell. |
| “Funds were not enough before the cuts, and they are less so now,” said Lucia Di Maro, the government official in charge of the fund. “Just repairing the electrical system of an ancient church can cost €200,000 or €300,000.” | “Funds were not enough before the cuts, and they are less so now,” said Lucia Di Maro, the government official in charge of the fund. “Just repairing the electrical system of an ancient church can cost €200,000 or €300,000.” |
| Father Tamburo said he and other friars decided against even asking the state to pay for the renovation, given the economic crisis in the country and the needs of the poor. He now compares the Kickstarter campaign to the ancient tradition of questua, or asking for public donations, as St. Francis himself did. | Father Tamburo said he and other friars decided against even asking the state to pay for the renovation, given the economic crisis in the country and the needs of the poor. He now compares the Kickstarter campaign to the ancient tradition of questua, or asking for public donations, as St. Francis himself did. |
| Under the rules of Kickstarter, the campaign must reach the goal of $125,000 in the allotted 30 days; in the case of a shortfall, donations are returned. The friars have tried to stir interest through the Italian news media. | Under the rules of Kickstarter, the campaign must reach the goal of $125,000 in the allotted 30 days; in the case of a shortfall, donations are returned. The friars have tried to stir interest through the Italian news media. |
| “I’m convinced we’ll find a way forward,” Father Tamburo said. “We hope we’ll make it.” | “I’m convinced we’ll find a way forward,” Father Tamburo said. “We hope we’ll make it.” |