Museum of Mercy of Siena
The history of the Archconfraternity of Mercy of Siena
According to tradition, the Casa della Misericordia, an ancient hospital and charitable institution aimed at alleviating the suffering of the needy, was built in 1250 on the initiative of Blessed Andrea Gallerani. When Gallerani died in 1251, his followers, who militated under the rule of the Humiliated Friars, continued their charitable commitment under the guidance of a Rector. The first mention of the Institution is found in a report of the General Council of the Municipality of Siena dated 23 June 1251, which granted the "fratres Misericordiae" the recognition of the legal regime of bequests "ad pias causas" identical to that of religious orders. In June 1347 the brothers of the Casa della Misericordia obtained from the Municipality the official recognition of the feast of Blessed Andrea Gallerani. A few decades later, however, the crisis of the institution required repeated interventions of support by the Municipality of Siena. In November 1404 the General Council proposed the transformation of the Misericordia hospital into a shelter for the students of the Sienese Studio. Until in 1408 the order of the Friars of Mercy was suppressed with the Bull of Pope Gregory XII, and its assets were partly transferred by the Municipality to the Hospital of S. Maria della Scala, and partly destined for the maintenance of the public University, including the headquarters, from then on called the "House of Wisdom". The birth of the Company of S. Antonio Abate also dates back to the end of the 14th century, a charitable institution that will play a fundamental role in the birth of modern Mercy, based under the vaults of the Convent of S. Martino. Here later the Company also erected a small hospital and an oratory dedicated to the Madonna della Stella, or S. Maria della Misericordia; hence the name of Venerabile Compagnia di S. Maria della Misericordia in S. Antonio Abate. The first statute that has come down to us dates back to 1526; of 1598 is that of his hospital, while the complete statutory revision dates back to 1715. Reinstated after the Leopoldine suppressions of 1784, the Company of S. Antonio Abate operated until the first decades of the 19th century, when "on the decline of the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1828 arose in the mind of Giovanni Amidei, [...] in that prior era of the Company [...], the commendable and beautiful thought of converting that Company, represented by him, into a Confraternity of Mercy, on the same footing as the others, which existed in the most conspicuous cities of our beautiful Tuscany". From this moment the long process virtually begins which will conclude, in 1835, with the beginning of the activity of the Confraternity of Mercy of Siena, to which in 1852 the title of Archconfraternity will be attributed, with the relative privileges.
