France - San Luigi dei Francesi

Since the Middle Ages, religious brotherhoods emerged to host in Rome the pilgrims, according to their national origins. In the sixteenth century, with the generous support of Kings Henri II, Henri II and Queen Catherine de Medicis, the french comunity started to build a new church : Saint Louis of the French. Works were supervised by Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana.

Consecrated in 1589, the church harbors three paintings by Caravaggio, which depict the life of Saint Matthew, patron saint of cardinal Matthieu Cointeret, who sponsored those artworks. Domenichino  and il Cavaliere d’Arpino, among others, contributed too to the ornamentation of the shrine.

Saint Louis is, with la Trinité des Monts, Saint-Nicolas-des-Lorrains, Saint-Yves-des-Bretons et Saint-Claude-des-Francs-Comtois-de-Bourgogne, a part of the french opera pia, les Pieux Etablissements de la France in Rome and Loreto. Founded in 1793, and placed under the supervision of the French Embassy to the Holy See, they are pursuing their age-old mission of hospitality and solidarity.