Traditional Catholic Teaching

St Miniato

Although many details of the life of St Miniato (St Minias) have been lost with the (literal) ravages of time, his influence continues to make an impact in modern times.

St Miniato was thought to have been either a Greek merchant or an Armenian prince who came to Florence in the first half of the third century whilst travelling on a pilgrimage to Rome. In Florence he took up the life of a hermit in a cave on Monte alle Croci. He became the first evangelist of this part of Tuscany in Italy. For this he paid the price of becoming the area's first martyr during the horrific persecution against Christians of the Emperor Decius (A.D. 249 – 251).

About 60 or 70 years after the martyr's death, his cave was extended into a small oratory or chapel. The word oratory comes from the Latin "ora", i.e. prayer. This oratory became a place of pilgrimage and prayer. In A.D. 1018 the present Basilica of St Miniato was completed as part of what became a Benedictine monastery. Michealangelo, a local citizen, called it his favourite church and carved on the doorstep, "Haec est porta caeli" – "This is the gate of heaven". Dante, another legendary citizen, called it "The most perfect church". It has remained a place of pilgrimage as indeed the whole city of Florence has become.

The writer has selected this great Christian martyr as one of the patrons of this web site for a particular reason. He spent some time in the study of prayer in the remains of the original oratory of St Miniato which are now under the crypt of the great basilica. It was during this time he rediscovered the traditional Catholic faith after having faithfully followed the devasting reforms of the 1960's and 1970's following the Second Vatican Council, all of which he now regrets. This experience was seen as a wonderful gift of God and a clear sign of God's desire for the Church to return to its cultural roots.

This web site is an attempt to salvage some of our wonderful Christian heritage and culture and protect it from those who do not share this aim. It seeks to explain in plain language the traditional Christian Faith handed down from Apostolic times. It is, in every detail, the same Faith as taught and died for by the early martyrs, among whom we list one of our Patrons, the evangelist St Miniato.

St Miniato, Evangelist and Martyr, pray for us.

St Miniato by Agnolo Gaddi.

Abbey Church of St Miniato.

Interior of Church.

Sacristy Wall paintings.

Fresco on Church wall of St Christopher.

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