Santa Maria della Mercede e Sant'Adriano Church, Modern parish church in Salario district, Rome, Italy
Santa Maria della Mercede e Sant'Adriano is a modern parish church in the Salario district featuring three naves with an apse and bronze angels adorning the facade. The interior contains a large pipe organ and opens into a spacious worship space designed for regular services.
The church was constructed in 1958 under architect Marco Piloni and received its cardinal title in 1967, marking a significant moment in post-war Rome's religious expansion. The building reflects the architectural direction chosen for parishes during that period of urban growth.
The church is run by the Mercedarians, the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, and its name honours both Mary of Mercies and Adrian of Nicomedia, whose deconsecrated church of Sant'Adriano al Foro once stood in the Roman Forum. Works from that church were moved here, including a Holy Family in the style of Raphael and a Sacred Heart by Carlo Maratta.
The church stands on viale Regina Margherita in the Salario district, at the corner with via Basento, in north-central Rome. Visitors enter from the street side during services of the Roman Rite; the interior is on one level, with the organ on the counter-facade above the entrance.
The holy water fonts in the church are shaped as angels in the school of Bernini, brought here from the former church of Sant'Adriano al Foro Romano, which gave the church half of its name. The same transfer also brought a Raphael-school Holy Family and a Sacred Heart by Carlo Maratta.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,151 contributors worldwide.