The veneration of this lovely icon of the Madonna dates back to the foundation of the Basilica by Pope Felix IV (526_530). A notable promotion of devotion was given by Pope St. Gregory the Great (590-604) towards the end of the 6th century.

The ancient image of the Madonna was located in the primitive Basilica between the altar and the mosaic surrounded by a large number of devotional "ex-votos". The icon which is now above the main altar in the Upper Church dates from the 13th century. Actually, it is a new edition painted over the more ancient picture. Originally the painting represented an image of Mary with the complete figure seated upon a throne. The painting was later cut short to adapt it to the new altar.

On March 4, 1651, the head of the Virgin and that of the Child were adorned by the Vatican Chapter with crowns of sculpted gold. These disappeared in the sacrilegious theft of November 29, 1988.

The title "della salute" originally referred to salute or Mary’s greeting to St. Gregory but in the course of time as the Basilica of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, the physician-martyrs, was a shrine of healing, the term "salute" came to mean "of Health". For those lucky enough to make a pilgrimage to Rome for the Year of Jubilee, the icon of the Madonna della Salute is located in the Basilica of Sts. Cosmas & Damian, on the Via dei Fori Imperiali, the avenue between the Coloseum and the Victor Emmanuel Monument.

On a rectangular piece of black marble is written the following in Latin:

This image translated from the old building to a more noble setting spoke thus to Blessed Gregory: "Gregory, why is it that you no longer come to salute me as you used to do whenever you passed by here?"

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THE CHAPEL OF THE CRUCIFIED

The work of art above the altar is a precious fresco of the Kyrios (8th Century) which was transferred from the lower church in 1637. The crucified Christ is vested in a Colobio, that is the garment of the Byzantine emperor to signify that on the cross He has become the King of the Universe.

THE CHAPEL OF THE MADONNA

This was decorated in the years 1635-1638 by the Perugian painter Giovanni Baglione (1571-1644.) The canvas above the altar shows St. John the Evangelist curing a paralytic. On the right wall there is the Adoration of the Magi and on the left the Presentation in the Temple. The numerous figures are painted in a style which recalls Carracci and Caravaggio.

CHAPEL OF ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA

This chapel is dedicated to the popular St. Anthony of Padua. The picture above the altar was painted on canvas around the beginning of the 1600s. It is the work of Giovanni Antonio Gaili, known as "II Spadarino" (I 585-1653) and an imitator of Carevagoio's style. The painting is very similar to a work by Carracci.

On the side walls are painted fioures of St. Clare of Assisi and St. Louis of Toulouse, the Franciscan bishop, and St. Louis King. These are works of Francesco Allegrini and date from about 1640-1650.

Along the underside of the arch there are frescoes of saints of the Franciscan Third Ordei-: St. Corrado Confalonieri, St. Rocco and other figures. These frescoes are attributed to Francesco Allecrini.

The Trinity is painted in the center of the vault and the adjacent pictures evangelists and doctors of the church seem less detailed. These are also the work of Allegrini.

CHAPEL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

The canvas which depicts St. Francis is from the school of Girolamo Muziano, a Brescian artist (1528-1590) On the ceiling we see St. Francis in Glory (the Roman school). The side walls are adorned with two large framed paintings: The Immaculate Conception (oil on canvas, c. 1854 with a gold plated frame): St. Louis the King, Co-patrons of the Third Order of St. Francis together with St. Elizabeth of Hungary (oil on canvas, early 1800s).

CHAPEL OF ST. BARBARA

The first chapel to the left of the entrance is dedicated to St. Barbara, patron of demolition and firework experts. The painting of the saint is a work of the school of Cavalier d'Arpino and dates from around 1650.

THE CHAPEL OF ST. ALEXANDER

It is dedicated to the martyr St. Alexander. The canvas above the altar depicts the Crucified similar to the iconography used by Rubens (model of 1640). It was executed in 1621 in imitation of the style of the Flemish painter, Antonio Van Dyck (1599-1614) which was very popular in Italy at that time. It is interesting for its expressive force.

THE CHAPEL OF ST. ROSE

This Chapel is dedicated to St. Rose of Viterbo, a Franciscan tertiary, and to St. Rosalia of Palermo. The fresco is by an unknown painter of the Roman school from around the middle of the 1600s.