150 YEARS OF THE NAZARETH SISTERS

In the footsteps of Blessed Frances Siedliska in Rome (65)

Sr. M. Beata Rudzińska, CSFN

Via Giulio Romano (1883) – Church of St. Andrew and Claudius

The second church I want to write about is dedicated to St. Andrew and Claudius (San Andrea e Claudio dei Borgognoni). Although much younger and less impressive than the Basilica of Aracoeli, it has become one of the most important places in Rome for the Sisters of Nazareth.

Built in the 17th century for emigrants from Burgundy, it is one of five French-speaking churches in Rome. The Resurrectionists rented it from the French government, making it their main seat in Rome from 1842. During the partitions, when Russia also took over the Polish church of St. Stanislaus, Poles came here to pray. Among them were Adam Mickiewicz, who lived in the neighborhood (on Via del Pozzetto), and Cyprian Norwid, who received the sacrament of confirmation in this church, taking the name Kamil. Until 2000, among the many Poles buried here was also Sister Józefa Karska, co-founder of the Immaculate Sisters. Unfortunately, after a thorough renovation carried out in 1956–58, many plaques commemorating the presence and activities of Poles in exile disappeared from the walls of the temple. They were replaced by a common plaque placed in the sacristy. The last renovation, completed in 2025, deprived the church of yet another memento of special significance to the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception – the altar of exposition, from which Frances Siedliska drew inspiration for the Congregation’s coat of arms. Just look at the attached photos to see the similarity. Unfortunately, now all we have left are photographs…

Frances Siedliska learned about the Church of St. Claudius through Father Piotr Semenenko, General of the Resurrectionists, even before meeting Father Lechert. She attended Masses celebrated by her first confessor, Father Leander Lendzian, a Capuchin, during his stay in Rome. Her companions came here to confess to Polish priests.

The Church of the Resurrection also became a place of great grace granted to the Foundress. On January 23, 1885, on the feast of the Nuptials of the Blessed Virgin Mary (abolished by the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council), God responded to Frances’ desire and request, which she wrote in her Diary, “to deign to spiritually marry my soul for eternity.” After confession to Fr. Anthony and Holy Communion, in a moment of deep prayer, “she felt the words in her soul: Everything I am doing for you now is a nuptial union, because I am marrying you to Myself, uniting your soul with Mine.”

In 1886, the Resurrectionists moved to their new headquarters at Via Sebastianello 11, near Piazza di Spagna, with the help of Frances herself. Since then, priests from the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament have served in the church. The founder of this congregation, St. Pierre-Julien Eymard, is buried in one of the chapels.

Photos: S. Anita Jach CSFN
Facade of the church
Presbytery before 2025
Coat of arms of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
Plaque on the house where Adam Mickiewicz lived