St. Louis of the French, a vibrant testament to history, art, and the enduring relationship between France and the Vatican, was founded in 1518 by Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici, a future pope, in the Sant’Eustachio district near Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. 

Its impressive Late Renaissance facade, designed by Pierre Lestache, features statues of French luminaries, including Charlemagne and Louis IX, and a triangular pediment adorned with the French coat of arms. 

In this Vaticano segment, we are privileged to be guided by Zaza Gatarski, a renowned art historian and a valued collaborator of EWTN Germany. She takes us on a captivating journey through the church, a veritable treasure trove of artistic masterpieces.  

“We step away from the noisy and turbulent Roman everyday life here into a wonderful church space,” Gatarski began. “We are in San Luigi dei Francesi, the French National Church in Rome. These national churches emerged during the Middle Ages as places for pilgrims to gather and became meeting points for different nations, depending on their language. This church is a special artistic treasure.” 

Watch the Vaticano segment to explore the masterpieces of art in this church with EWTN Vaticano: the chapel of Saint Louis IX of France and the Contarelli chapel, which houses the three paintings by Caravaggio on the life of St. Matthew. 

Adapted by Jacob Stein

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