In Tolentino (Italy) is the Basilica Shrine dedicated to Saint Nicholas, an Augustinian mystic who belonged to the same order as Pope Leo XIV.
Although Nicholas was actually from Fermo, he spent much of his life in Tolentino. It was here that his popularity and reputation for holiness began, as he performed numerous miracles, fought battles against the devil, and had visions of Purgatory.
A church dedicated to St. Augustine
The Basilica of St. Nicholas was built in the 13th century and was originally dedicated to St. Augustine. It was small and connected to the Augustinian convent.
When St. Nicholas died in 1305, the monks decided to place his remains in a wooden chest inside this small church.
Years later, the explosion of devotion and the crowds of faithful who constantly gathered around his tomb forced the monks to build a larger church.
A campaign was launched to raise money and decorate the chapel of St. Nicholas, now called the “Cappellone,” with its wonderful frescoes commissioned from Pietro da Rimini. The work is exquisite, and is sometimes compared to the magnificent frescos in Ravenna.
The disappearance of the body
In 1810, with the Napoleonic invasion, the Augustinians were displaced from the site. For a time, nothing was known about the relics of St. Nicholas. It wasn't until 1926 that the saint's body was located and returned to the place where the Augustinians decided their brother should be.
In 1932, a crypt was built to house the relics; it contains most of his body, except for the “Sacred Arms.” The story of their removal is legendary: At one point long after the saint’s death, someone tried to steal the body’s arms. But when they were severed, they miraculously bled abundantly, and the would-be thief abandoned them. They are venerated in a separate chapel.
The 2016 earthquake in Italy
The church, which was elevated to minor basilica status in 1783, was damaged by the earthquake in central Italy in 2016 and was closed for two years. However, the nave is now used for Masses and the Chapel of the Holy Arms has been reopened to the public. Unfortunately, the Cappellone and the apse remain closed for ongoing delicate restoration work.
