Sunday Mass in the Roman Forum

For the feast of St. John Lateran this past Sunday, we had Mass at Santa Francesca Romana, located in the Roman Forum and dedicated to St. Frances of Rome.

This church (originally called Santa Maria Nova) was built in the 9th century by Pope Leo IV. St. Frances was born in 1384, and then after a 40-year happy & loving marriage, she was widowed and became the first Benedictine lay oblate, devoting her remaining years to caring for the poor and the sick. Her remains are buried underneath the high altar.

Here's the church from the outside:

Here's a wider view of the area where the church is located. Notice that it's right in the middle of the Roman Forum and the Colliseum can be seen in the distance!

Here's a wider view of the remains of the Roman Forum. Below this photo is a little information about the Forum.

The Roman Forum, or in Latin, Forum Romanum, was the most important forum in Ancient Rome, situated on low ground between the Palatine and Capitoline hills. The Roman Forum was the scene of public meetings, lawcourts, and gladiatorial combats in republican times and was lined with shops and open-air markets. Under the empire, when it primarily became a centre for religious and secular spectacles and ceremonies, it was the site of many of the city’s most imposing temples and monuments.

Back to Santa Francesca Romana, here is the sanctuary: 

Here is a photo from Mass: