An entire chapel is now dedicated to the Blessed Niels Stensen - or italianized Niccolò Stenone - , in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, in Florence.
On the back of the chapel a modern altar (photo n.1) surmounted by a crucifix and by a stained-glass window representing the holy scientist (photo n.2). On the right wall, a part of the old sarcophagus which contained the body of Niels Stensen when it was buried in the crypt of the basilica (photo n.3), and, finally, on the left wall the actual burial of Stensen, onto which many people use to let their letters and memos to Him. Just above the sarchophagus, a bronze bas-relief of Stensen (photo n.4).
In the chapel, two latin memorial tablets can be read. The oldest one (photo n.5) carries the following inscription: "NICOLAI STENONIS / EPISCOPI TITOPOLITANI / VIRI DEO PLENI / QUICQUID MORTALE FUIT HIC SITUM EST / DANIA ILLUD GENUIT HETERODOXUM / HETRURIA ORTHODOXUM / ROMA / VIRTUTE PROBATUM SACRIS INFULIS INSIGNIVIT / SAXONIA INFERIOR / FORTEM EVANGELII ASSERTOREM AGNOVIT / DEMUM / DIUTURNIS PRO CHRISTO LABORIBUS AERUMINSQ. CONFECTUM / SVERINUM DESIDERAVIT / ECCLESIA DEFLEVIT / FLORENTIA SIBI RESTITUI / SALTEM IN CINERIBUS VOLUIT / A.D. MDCLXXXVII".
The newest one (photo n.6) remember his geological merits: "NICOLAUM STENONEM / RERUM NATURAE INVESTIGATOREM EPISCOPUM BEATUM / PRO INSIGNI MERITO QUOD FLORENTIAE / STRATIGRAPHIAM ET CRYSTALLOGRAPHIAM PRIMUS INVENIT / GEOLOGI EX OMNIBUS ORBIS PARTIBUS / AD XXXII CONVENTUUM CELEBRANDUM / ITERUM IN ITALIA POST CXXIII ANNOS CONGRESSI / GRATI COMMEMORANT / MENSE AUGUSTO A.D.MMIV".
- Photos by Luca Borghi ti.supmacinu|ihgrob.l#| (April 2008)
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Dear Sir or Madam,
I am in the process of writing a historical document for the Journal of Neurosurgery regarding the life of Niels Stensen and his contributions to neuroanatomy. May I use images from your site for this paper? The journal would be published both in hard copy and electronically and in multiple languages. I would, of course, give you appropriate acknowledgment in the paper. Many thanks.
Sincerely,
Professor R. Shane Tubbs
Pediatric Neurosurgery
Birmingham, AL, USA