Charity: Farmacia di Santa Maria Novella

Charity

Pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella

Before visiting La farmacia di Santa Maria Novella in person, I did some research online.  I learned that this was one of the oldest still-operating pharmacies in the world, and certainly the oldest still-open pharmacy in Italy. In 1221, It was founded by the Dominican monks who lived next door at the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella.  The herbs that the monks had been growing possessed healing properties.  In the 17^th century, the monks opened the pharmacy up to the public, and it has been operating since!

When I visited in person, I was very much surprised by what I found!  Initially, I had pictured the interior of the pharmacy to resemble what I know to be a “farmacy”… white floors and plain walls, and pill bottles everywhere.  However, as soon as I entered in the front door and continued down the ornate corridor toward the first room, I realized that this interior was palatial! 

I was surprised to find that the first room I entered did not consist of drugs at all, rather various types of fine perfumes, many of which used natural herb extracts for their aroma. The walls were extremely ornate – as I continued through the pharmacy to the right, and then to the left, I found the natural herb room.  Here, I found herbs and pills for nearly every type of ailment… from gastro-intestinal pills, to treatment for cellulite, to medications for children, to pure ginseng!  This room made me realize that La Farmacia Santa Maria Novella is not only a functioning pharmacy, but also somewhat of a museum!  There was another separate little room for tea and a hallway with glass cases with what would have been fine ceramics, if they hadn't been away for restoration.

Relating to the theme of “charity”, I also found an informative interactive history of the monks and their resulting pharmacy.  I learned that the monks, taking pity upon the frail and sick, reserved two rooms for treatment: one for meat, and one for other foods… later, in 1609, there was a friar herbalist who served as a catalyst to establish the pharmaceutical workshop that opened its services to the public three years later!  It is also presumed that the political climate (Cosmo I de’Medici and his successors) would have helped to spur on the establishment of this pharmacy, partly due to the Medici family’s interest in the sciences.  The relationship between the Medici family and the Dominican order was strong, and remained so even centuries later!

As I tried to internalize my surroundings, I couldn’t help but think of all of the consideration and effort that had gone into figuring out which herbs can help certain ailments.. which combinations of herbs can work together to better the human condition… Obviously, these monks were not only extremely intelligent to have established such a system, but they also must have had an incredibly selfless regard toward other people.  Often times we hear of the 'regard for the poor, the marginalized, the frail'… this seems to be the exact focus of the Dominicans as they founded this establishment. They worked together with the political leaders of the city, they identified a need for health improvement, they responded to God’s call, and they established a pharmaceutical system for the betterment of people… an establishment which would succeed them for centuries later!  This is a true example of charity.