so named from being on the site of the Temple of Minerva dedicated by
Pompey. It is one of the few Gothic churches in Rome.
The interior is highly decorated in the Gothic style. Second chapel on
right, tomb of Princess Colonna. Fourth, the Chapel of the
Annunciation. Fifth, Aldobrandini Chapel. The Caraffa Chapel contains
a slab to a son of the late Bishop of Winchester, who joined the Roman
Catholic Church, and died at Albano in 1857. The pictures of the
Annunciation over the altar, the S. Thomas, and the Assumption are
fine.
The roof represents four sibyls surrounded by angels, by Raffaelino
del Garbo. The Altieri Chapel contains an altar-piece by C. Maratta.
Next is the tomb of Guillaume Durand, with a very fine mosaic.
Interesting to English visitors is the tomb of Cardinal Howard, Great
Almoner of England, who died at Rome in 1694. The body of S. Catherine
of Sienna reposes beneath the high altar. _On the right_ is Obicci's
statue of S. John; and _on the left_ Michael Angelo's celebrated
statue of the Saviour (the bronze drapery is an addition). In the
sacristy is a chapel formed from the walls of the room in which S.
Catherine died (1380). The festivals of S. Thomas Aquinas (March 7th)
and of the Annunciation (March 25th) are celebrated here with great
ceremony.
_On the left of the high altar_ is the tomb of Fra Angelico, a
monumental slab of the artist-monk, standing, with clasped hands,
within an arch, in low relief.