HISTORY OF THE BUILDING

The following research was done by Prof Francesco Santucci, a historian in Assisi. It consists of fragments of information found in ancient documents, letters and books related to the building itself.

In the 14th century, only ten fraternities (Disciplinati, Flagellati o Battuti) were active in Assisi: some of them were founded at the beginning of the century, others maybe at the end of the century. This shows how the penitential movement, which started in Perugia in 1260 thanks to Friar Raniero Fasani, was particularly active in Assisi because of the presence of the Franciscan Friars.
The oldest available document concerning the Fraternity of S. Maria del Vescovado is dated 1354 and can be found in the land register of the goods belonging to the churches of the entire territory of Assisi. In 1362 Maragoncello di Andruccio di Assisi (Maragoncellus q. Andrutii Ciccarelli Maragonis de Assisio) left in his will one hundred soldo to the fraternity of Disciplinati di S. Maria del Vescovado (fraternitati dissiplinatorum s. Marie episcopatus). It results that in 1364 Matteo “Cece Bilole” was prosecutor of the same brotherhood (Machteus Cece Bilole…, procurator fraternitatis dissilinatorum s. Marie episcopatus) and that in 1384 Contuccio “Lutii” was major and prosecutor of the Fraternity of Disciplinati di S. Maria Maggiore in Assisi. The same Fraternity was called “del Vescovado”, because it was nearby the bishop’s palace, or “di S. Maria Maggiore”, because it was nearby the homonymous church next to the bishop’s palace and cathedral of the town until the first 20 years of the 11th century. Because of its location (near the bishop’s palace) the fraternity was also called “dell’area del’episcopio” (fraternitati s. Marie de Area episcopatus).
In a document dated 1426, we learn that the fraternity dei Disciplinati di S. Maria del Vescovado was also called “di s. Biagio” (fraternitatis disciplinatorum s. Marie episcopatus sub vocabolo s. Blaxii nuncupata). 
In another document dated 1448, we find some news about houses belonging to the fraternity, which were certainly nearby or next to it (in domibus fraternitatis s. Marie episcopatus). They should be the still-existing buildings next to the church and seat of the laic brotherhood. In 1482 these houses bordered on a public street on one side (today Via S. Agnese) and, on the other three sides, on the property of the hospital for lepers, located at S. Maria Maddalena “de Arce”. 
In 1468, Giacomo di Bartoluccio, called “Belladonna” from Assisi, donated one florin to these houses (reliquit fraternitati s Marie episcopatus flor. Unum pro fabrica domorum dicte fraternitatis).
We know of the existence of a church-oratory in 1426, when a chapter of the fraternity took place there; however, it could have existed also before. We have some other news about that in 1453; it seems that also the church was located in the area of Porta S. Chiara. 
Above the entrance gate of the fraternity complex (which included church and houses), a shrine was painted in 1330 by an anonymous artist, follower of the Expressionist Master of St. Clare. The shrine represents Our Lady with Jesus between St. Francis and St. Clare and, in the intrados, the mystical Lamb, St. Biagio and St. John the Baptist”.

On the outside of the shrine, there was a “S. Cristoforo”, that today has almost completely disappeared.
In front of the Majesty, between the garden and the oratory door on one side and the property of Notary Angelo di Ser Giovanni on the other side of the way, a deed of sale was signed on February 2nd 1424 between private citizens of Assisi: this demonstrates that the place was very important. 
Some frescoes realised by that painter came from the oratory or church of the fraternity of S. Maria del Vescovado or S. Biagio. Some of them are in the Municipal Gallery of Assisi and others in the Art Museum of Budapest. Two gonfalons by Niccolò di Liberatore, called L’Alunno, also come from the oratory. One gonfalon is now in the municipal gallery of Assisi while the other one was moved to the Petit Palais of Avignone.

Important news for the history of the fraternity of S. Maria del Vescovado was registered in 1527 when a man, “Berardino”, called “Massuccio Belledonne” donated six florins to it. He probably was a descendant of the above-mentioned Giacomo who, more than sixty years before, was interested in painting a gonfalon and remodelling the houses of the brotherhood.
In 1772, according to the wish of the Bishop of Assisi (Mons. Nicolò Sermattei at the time), the fraternity of S. Maria Maggiore del Vescovado (former fraternity “dei Disciplinati di S. Maria Maggiore del Vescovado”) was suppressed together with other similar laic associations of the town (S. Gregorio, S. Vitale, S. Lorenzo, S. Pietro) in order to grant new annuities to the Seminary of Assisi. 
In 1790, after the property of the former fraternity of S. Maria del Vescovado passed to the Seminary, the church (once the oratory of the brotherhood) passed from Bishop Mons. Zangari to the ancient Association of Shoemakers or Fraternity of S. Crispino, which had no seat at the time.
Since then, the denomination of the church and annexed complex has always been San Crispino, as it is today.
During the first decades of 1900, the property of the Fraternity of S. Crispino with its church and buildings (which were in decay), passed to private citizens.

Prof. Francesco Santucci, researcher and historian in Assisi