Those walking in Via Maggio may be attracted here by music: in fact, this place has exceptional acoustics, which can be heard even in complete silence. Various kinds of operas and concerts are performed here, following a type of offering far from the annoying tourist clichés of the centre.
Did you stop in front of this open door with the surprise of a place you had never seen before? If so, please
DO NOT LEAVE!
You are welcome to sit and pray or just explore a historical asset that is still too little known. Will you help us spread the word?
St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Florence is
hidden in a 16th-century building
of Renaissance style, which apparently belonged to the Machiavelli family. Our story, however, begins much later, in 1800, when the English presence in Florence was very strong.
They were attracted by its reputation as the capital of Grand Duchy, and its having preserved itself magnificently medieval! They liked it for its mild climate, affordable luxury, the opportunity to do good business exporting arts and crafts, and of course for the lively warmth of the locals.
Novels that became very famous over time were also written in Tuscany, such as Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Room with a View. Florence was the ideal destination for many reasons, including that it was easy to reach, and was not ruled by the Papacy.
Where are we? In Oltrarno
Today it is a welcome neighbourhood, full of antique dealers. But at the time it was a dangerous area, where even the police did not dare to enter.
The neighbourhood included Via dei Serragli, a street that was home to many of the first Protestant and evangelical churches, which were active in bringing hope to those whom the Gospel calls the last.
A priest bought one part of the building (#18) in 1877. The first service was held on May 1, 1881.
Charles Tooth was born into a family of English brewers
and after running the business, he had followed his brothers in choosing to become a priest. For health reasons, however, he had had to emigrate to Tuscany.
He lived first in Siena, then moved to Florence where he created the first community of the Anglo-Catholic current that opposed the so-called “official church” – the Holy Trinity, today owned by the Waldensians – claiming the principle that a church should be a place open to everybody and not an exclusive club.
Britain at that time was in the midst of both colonial and industrial expansion, but all this had placed the church itself in a position subordinate more to the interests of the empire than to the care of souls.
Anglo-Catholicism vs. Roman Catholicism
To be Anglo-Catholic is to draw from Rome ancient forms of worship and devotion, while recognizing in Christ alone the supreme head of the church, intended as a community – “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27) and “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15):
“…all things he hath put under his feet, and hath given him for supreme head over the church” (Ephesians 1:22)
The Anglican church has been presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and ruled by the Sovereigns of the United Kingdom since the 1500s, when King Henry VIII, wanting to marry Anne Boleyn and being excommunicated by the Pope for this, decided the separation from Rome.
In the panorama of different Christian denominations, it can be considered a world apart: in fact, it is inclusive and ecumenical, welcomes within it both catholic and evangelical elements, and its ministers are free to marry.
The succession of priests
Charles Tooth was succeeded by Father Tanner, his assistant. Father Varty in the 1930s wrote a brief history of the church. Then World War II broke out, and Father Bailey was arrested and forced to return home as the Allies reopened the church for worship and things slowly returned to normal. Father Church lived through the tragedy of the flood. Father William Lister, military chaplain, remained in office until Covid, retiring in 2021, and leaving the post vacant until the appointment of the current resident chaplain, Father Chris Williams.
Let’s now get into… the 1800s
What’s the effect? Something different, isn’t it…?
It’s like suddenly being catapulted two centuries back into an environment of strong symbolism, bold colours (Indian red predominates), and plenty of wood.
Let’s look briefly at some of the details; there are
different styles
many objects are donations, such as the side lamps, in Venetian style (photo below), and those in front of the altar in Orthodox style (a gift from Emily Dowbiggen in memory of her husband, the Russian naturalist and geologist Pietri de Tchihatcheff)
gothic traces
two gilded frames on either side of the nave contain splendid works by Giuseppe Catani Chiti, born in Prato and an Italian exponent of the Pre-Raphaelite current: the Annunciation on the left, and St. Michael on the right (pictured) – both donated by Sir Thomas Dick-Lauder, trustee at St. Mark’s and a collector living in Fiesole.
Are they not reminiscent of those Gothic cathedrals so prevalent in central and northern Europe?
inscriptions
- Te Deum Adoramos – You are God: we praise you; You are Lord: we acclaim you (this is the Ambrosian hymn, dating back to the 5th century)
- Domus Orationis – house of prayer
- anima mea magnificat dominum – my soul magnifies the Lord
- fides, spes, caritas – faith, hope, charity
acronyms
- I H S is the medieval Christogram, i.e., abbreviation of the name of Christ
- X J C: X who J imagines C strength – who imagines the strength of the cross
- I T B C: B is the symbol of the connection between all the elements of the earth. T is the cross. Here it connects I spirit and C strength, characteristics of Christ
- I C T I S: fish in Greek, meaning Jesus Christ the Son of God (who worked the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes)
- the “sun” around the initials symbolizes the consecrated host
Christ is in the center of the nave
Lord and Saviour, the Alpha and Omega (beginning and end of all things), supreme head, the only Intermediary between us and the Father.
Is Mary present? Yes, but in a chapel aside
the eagle’s lectern
symbolizes the evangelist John, because his Gospel begins with the Word of God leading from darkness to Light (and the eagle precisely has such strong sight that it cannot be dazzled)
the Primrose
logo of St. Mark’s, is a symbol of rebirth and eternity; the motif fills the church, which suggests that it symbolizes the Tree of Life, alluding to the reborn in Christ who acquires eternal life
“…unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
Other flowers symbolize feminine beauty, perfection, and paradise, tying their meaning to Mary; the yellow orchid could be a tribute to Florence, and the lily is generally a symbol of purity, chastity, nobility; the sunflower symbolizes light, life, fertility, but also wealth and power; the daisy on the altar is also a sign of purity and nobility of mind.
Who were the authors of such rare decoration?
Two names unfamiliar to Italians but well known to the British people: George F. Bodley, neo-Gothic architect, and John R. Spencer Stanhope, Pre-Raphaelite painter.
The Pre-Raphaelites
were a fraternity founded by seven members including William Holman Hunt (who we suppose has been in this church – a chalice donated to the memory of his wife Fanny would prove it) and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, whose works enchant visitors of the Tate Gallery in London.
They claimed that art from Raphael onward had become a conventional representation of reality, convenient for power. They therefore chose to return to a more sincere and truly alternative world to be inspired by for the future.
Rediscovering the medieval past meant rediscovering those moral values that it is imperative to preserve in any age.
They were also greatly influenced by the theories of John Ruskin, one of the founders of the Arts and Crafts movement that opposed massive industrialization.
He held the principle that human life and art had to be deeply rooted in nature and ethics.
4th November 1966: who’s banging on the door?
Father Church must have been awakened early in the morning: not the normal knocking of some desperate person, but a much louder noise. In fact, there was a huge tree trunk floating in the street mixed with water and dirt.
As evidence of the tragic night of the Florence flood (100 dead and extensive damage to the heritage), here are the marks on the baptismal font…
It was sculpted in marble by Sarah Malcolm Freeborne, born in Pennsylvania in 1844. After travelling around Europe, she had moved permanently to Florence, where she stayed for 14 years, becoming one of the best known sculptors in Italy.
On the walls are string motifs in the Celtic style, symbolising the devotion of a man to a woman, and here emphasising Christ’s devotion to his church, called “bride” as a metaphorical figure.
Next to it, protected by a glass case, is what remains of the original decoration, now lost.
The richly decorated walls and the simple floral ceiling are a pictorial metaphor for the incarnate presence of Jesus Christ: there we see the union of the mystery of the Kingdom of God with the dignity of the humble labourer.
Hanging on a wall we also find the icon of St. Mark, depicting the evangelist as a young man writing, and which was commissioned by Father MacLean.
War Memorial: a minute’s silence, please
They came from Canada, Wales, Scotland… they died to liberate Italy from the Nazi-fascist threat.
Every year in November they are remembered with two services: in the morning at the church and in the afternoon at the military cemetery of San Jacopo al Girone.
Impossible not to feel involved. St. Mark’s is small, but it is like a container of many different aspects of life.
We have stopped in the face of grief. Now we move forward in hope.
3D Annunciation
“Hail, O greatly beloved, the Lord is with thee… fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God…let it be done unto me according to thy word…” (Luke 1)
The most beautiful Annunciation ever… would you agree? It looks too perfect to be a painting, yet it is not a photograph!
And it is also unique: set in a medieval setting, with stones and bricks, and the two-tone bands typical of Romanesque art – such as those so prevalent in Tuscany and Liguria. Also medieval is the vigorous Archangel Michael in the right column, painted as a knight, a reminder of the promise that evil will have an end.
Mary looks directly to God. Not to a man, not to the Angel, who indeed bows his head… First she fears, then she is troubled, finally she declares, “I am here.” God, who created life, has a plan to return to life. And thus was born Immanuel, God with us, God who makes himself one of us. For us.
Let us enjoy it in silence.
The left aisle is “barred” by the new organ, a gift from Cornwall dated 1880. St. Mark’s is a church that cannot be without an organ. Sacred hymns and choir are a very important tradition in the English church.
The High Altar
The heart of the celebrations, the point where all gazes converge is not an Anglican altar, but the Altar of God, as it is always remembered every Sunday morning.
Made of white marble, in the centre it reproduces Beato Angelico’s Last Supper, flanked by Faith and Hope. The triptych is in the 15th-century style, with Jesus crucified in a Tuscan landscape, in front of Mary Magdalene. On the left Mary and St. Mark, on the right St. John the Evangelist together with St. George.
On the sides much carved wood; on the left, the Bishop’s Throne, and stacked in a corner is still an old pulpit.
On the ceiling is the Lorraine Cross, whose longer side arms in Christian symbolism are the arms of Christ who gave his life for us.
Would the centre remind of a crown of thorns? We have some doubt, because the surface is smooth, and tending to a white colour. To us, it is more likely to represent the linen on which Jesus’ body was wrapped.
The roses could simultaneously signify heavenly perfection and earthly passion, finite time and eternity, life and death, suggesting that the whole thing represents how from the passion springs eternal life.
In the arch Sanctus Sanctus, looking from left to right, there are several shields; for example, the hammer for nails and the tongs could refer to Joseph of Arimathea who asked Pilate for Jesus’ body (and thus would have used those tools to remove the nails). Three nails and a scale would indicate Passion, while the scales symbolise justice.
The hexagonal motif on the floor represents duality, in this case the dual nature (human and divine) of Christ.
That near the altar is a little different: the red-white chequered floor in Christian symbolism is an element that confuses the devil, keeps him away. It represents something united and normative, always the same (white) and something that instead undergoes a sudden change, a jolt to the norm (red) – that is, a struggle between good (order) and evil (jolt).
Now let’s just turn on our heels… and little pre-Raphaelite angels are popping up high above the windows at the back! You hadn’t noticed them close, had you?
The Lady Chapel
On the right of the altar is the Lady Chapel, very intimate, with a lovely 17th-century Greek Orthodox icon in the centre, and a terracotta figurine to the side, the work of a Tuscan workshop.
The altar bears engraved the Greek cross, with four arms of equal length which symbolizes Christ’s divine nature – while the Latin one, is symbolic of his human nature.
That opening under the window is a real enigma to us… perhaps an ancient box for collecting prayer requests? Knock below it and you’ll hear a hollow sound, a sign that there was once a small door.
No tomb, but how many memories!
Imagine that you meet a wonderful person on your path, one of those souls with charisma. In our current times it may sound very rare.
Yet there was a time that was not so full of unnecessary distractions as today’s. There was a time when in order to meet, one would leave home and go to a physical place.
One of these was precisely St. Mark’s.
And if this very special someone was gone, wouldn’t you want him or her to be remembered?
Here are at least 40 plaques and headstones, some showing kind words of great consideration.
We slowly return to the entry point. At the Prayer Board table you can leave an offering, sign the guestbook or write your prayer request.
The coat of arms with a red cross on a white background surmounted by a crown brings to mind the Flag of England and may allude to Henry VIII who received the title Defensor Fidei (Defender of the Faith).
End of the visit? NOT YET!!!
2000 years ago: Saint Mark
The beautiful exterior statue brings us back to the true meaning of a church through direct words:
“…There is a voice of one crying in the wilderness… prepare the way of the Lord, straighten his paths” (Mark 1)
The Apotheosis of St. Mark is the “youngest” work having been sculpted by Jason Arkles in 2008. Even the pose is unusual. He is not in adoration: he is looking at us. He shows us his writing. For he did not pray for some sort of miracle to happen: he has been a direct witness of Christ.
On his chest he has a lion, the symbol by which the evangelist is remembered, for his gospel’s emphasis on the resurrection.
The shedding mantle alludes to the passage that speaks of a young man who followed Jesus after his arrest (perhaps him?) and escaped the Roman soldiers.
Ties on his ankles and wrists indicate his martyrdom dragged through the streets of Alexandria, Egypt, of which he was bishop.
St. Mark is a common name in Italy, immediately bringing to mind the famous basilica in Venice.
But there is also another basilica named after the same in Florence, the church where Beato Angelico – the author of the Last Supper carved on the main altar – was educated. St. Mark is also the name of a battalion of the Italian Navy.
At this point of the story, don’t you feel like there is more than just a great person or an interesting historical asset to be preserved?
Look at him again: he is looking at us as if to say something so important that he would sacrifice his own life… He is holding a writing in his hand. He is not in a pose of worship. He is wearing symbols of direct experience.
What is the true meaning of a church? Why do we need it today?
The All Saints church in Amesbury (U.S.), of the same Anglican family, has given this beautiful definition of itself:
We are a small gathering of God’s people, the new humanity, the world body of Christ, the new creation, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit and the hope of the world. We are weak and broken people who do not have it all together, but we long for God and desire to follow the way of Jesus. We are not just a community, a worship service, a volunteer agency, a social club or a group of friends. We are a community that exists for the renewal of all things.
Given that this is how a church is meant to be, do we then need it? Yes!
And a much-needed type of congregation in a world increasingly prey to ideological clashes, for
“man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:3-4)
The characteristics of St. Mark’s today are the same as in the days of Charles Tooth, who in the course of his ministry had founded a choir and a musical society, thought to serve not only residents but also tourists, and create an environment open to all – as opposed to the Holy Trinity, which even required pew rental or subscription and had a rigid social structure.
St. Mark’s has always been funded by voluntary donations, and its popularity among the wealthy classes, who rented villas in Florence but did not accept the impositions of the old hierarchies, grew so much that it was necessary to buy the other part as well (#16) of the palace from which the whole story began.
Celebrations are held in English, however Italian is also spoken, much appreciated by the many foreigners stopping by from everywhere in the world and of all ages, who meet at the refreshments at the end of Sunday services, a time when the celebration leaves free space for shaking hands and getting to know one another better.
A greater story behind
Isaiah 58:12 says
“Thine will rebuild the ancient ruins, and thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations past.”
We are in a meeting place of very different mentalities, all, however, united by the need to rediscover how the fundamentals of the Gospel lie at the very basis of life, because over the centuries the ardour of the heart has waned into religious habits often lacking in knowledge.
Were those who participated in the construction, planning and donations also de facto believers as well as attenders? We do not know. But the presence of those 40 memorial plaques is very moving. They are reminiscent of Psalm 20, where David writes in verse 7: “There are those who trust in chariots and those who trust in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
Who suggested to Spencer Stanhope and Bodley to decorate the church in this particular way? – somebody asked… good question. Perhaps Charles Tooth himself? But how? Was he maybe a great expert in any discipline??
Of course not.
But he was for sure a man of God. And looking for God always takes you beyond human limits, making you experience first-hand how wide and long and high and deep is the LOVE of JESUS CHRIST.
Do you see how everything takes us back to the origins of a greater story?
Anglicans, Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals should walk TOGETHER instead of cultivating barriers: there is only one Lord. Let us not lose ourselves in prejudice and embark on this fascinating journey instead.
In search of higher horizons:
read also
and
WHEN THE PRE-RAPHAELITES DISCOVERED ITALY
a deepening review after a recent exhibit in Forlì
a brave man and an example for the generations to come
