The Early Christian (or Paleochristian) era roughly covers the period 100-600 AD. Early Christian places include Roman catacombs, ancient baptisteries, early Byzantine churches, churches built by Constantine and sites connected with the early church fathers and major councils. In some cases a newer church has been built over the original, but most of those listed retain their early Christian characteristics. Also included are museums with a large collection of Paleochristian art.
Below are the Early Christian Sites.
Arian Baptistery, Ravenna
The Arian Baptistery (Battistero degli Ariani) stands in a small square next to the old Arian cathedral of Santo Spirito in Ravenna, Italy. It was built by the Ostrogothic ruler Theodoric at the end of the 5th century.
History
In the 5th century, Ravenna was ruled by Theodoric, a Goth who ascribed to the Arian form of Christianity.
Declared a heresy at the Council of Nicea in 325, Arianism is the view that Christ, while divine, was created by the Father and is therefore inferior to him. The orthodox view holds that Christ is equally divine ("of the same substance") as God the Father.
Theodoric built a new Arian cathedral (the Basilica Spirito Santo) with its own baptistery towards the end of the 5th century, not long after Ravenna's Orthodox Baptistery was built. It is quite similar to its orthodox predecessor, including the mosaic in the dome.
The Byzantines took Ravenna in 540, bringing Arian and barbarian rule in Italy to an end. About 10 years later, Emperor Justinian gave the Arian Baptistery to the orthodox (Catholic) community of the city, who turned it into a church called Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
Baptistère Saint-Jean, Poitiers
The Baptistère Saint-Jean (Baptistery of St. John) in Poitiers is believed to be the oldest Christian building in France. It is conveniently located next to the cathedral and well worth a look. Originally constructed in the 4th century, the round baptistery was modified in the 6th and 7th centuries and decorated with frescoes a few centuries later.
History
In the earliest years of Christianity in Poitiers, the sacrament of baptism was administered in the River Clain, which runs about 100 meters from the baptistery. Then, around 360, a baptistery was constructed by the first bishop (St. Hilary) in what would soon become the ecclesiastical center of the city.
The construction of free-standing baptisteries was common in this early period, before baptisteries or fonts were included inside churches. Other notable examples include the Lateran Baptistery in Rome and the two famous bapisteries of Ravenna.
Over the centuries many changes were made to the original structure. A round apse and transept with square arms were added in the 6th or 7th century. The arms of the transept were transformed into the two small semi-circular apses seen today around 1000 AD; at the same time, the narthex was modified to its present polygonal form.
A baptismal tank was added in the 6th century but in the 8th century this was filled in. The walls were decorated with frescoes in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries, remains of which can still be seen. Among the earlier paintings is a large depiction of the Emperor Constantine on horseback on the east wall. Frescoes depicting the life of St. John the Baptist were added in the 13th century.
The baptistery was abandoned in 1791 during the revolution, then confiscated from the Church and sold to a private citizen who used it as a warehouse. It was saved from demolition by a public subscription, which allowed it to be repurchased in 1834.
The baptistery was excavated and restored in the middle of the 20th century. Excavations uncovered the baptismal tank and led to more precise dating of the building, which in turn ruled out the theory that the baptistery first served as a pagan temple. This theory accounts for its alternative name, Temple Saint-Jean
Basilica of St. John, Ephesus
The Basilica of St. John (St. Jean Aniti) was a great church in Ephesus constructed by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. It stands over the believed burial site of St. John, who is identified as the apostle, evangelist (author of the Fourth Gospel) and prophet (author of Revelation).
The basilica is on the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill near the center of Selçuk, just below the fortress and about 3.5 km (2 miles) from Ephesus.
History
St. John's grave was marked by a memorial and enclosed by a church of modest proportions in the 4th century. In the 6th century, Emperor Justinian (527-565 AD) believed that a tomb dating from the 300s was John's, so he built a magnificient church on the site in the 500s dedicated to the saint.
The traditional tomb of St. John, located under the main central dome, elevated the site to one of the most sacred sites in the Middle Ages and thousands made pilgrimage here.
But with the decline in importance of Ephesus and after Arab raids, the basilica fell into ruins until the Seljuk Aydinoglu clan converted it into a mosque in 1330. The building was then completely destroyed in 1402 by Tamerlane's Mongol army.
The ruined church was thereafter pillaged for building materials, but recent restoration enables visitors to understand its size and visualize its former splendor.
Bishop's Museum, Trier
The Bischöfliches Museum (Bishop's Museum) is housed in a 19th-century building near Trier Cathedral. Once a Prussian prison, the building now houses the art collection of the Diocese of Trier, including much early Christian art.
The museum easy to miss due to its out-of-the-way location and minimal signage, but it is an excellent museum and one of the most interesting attractions in Trier.
Basilica Paleocristiana, Paestum
The Basilica Paleocristiana (Early Christian Basilica) in Paestum, located very close to the museum, dates from the 5th or 6th century AD.
History
Paestum was Christianized by the 5th century AD, and even became the seat of a bishop. The Temple of Ceres/Athena was transformed into a church and this purpose-built basilica was added nearby in the early 5th century. Stones and columns from the ancient city were used in the building, which was originally open to the elements like the ancient temples nearby. Around the end of the 5th century, the church became a "closed basilica" with the addition of outer walls and a vault.
The city of Paestum was abandoned by the 9th century due to malarial swamps and Muslim invaders, with a new settlement (the town of Capaccio) established on higher ground a few kilometers away. The Bishop of Paestum became the Bishop of Capaccio, but the old basilica was not entirely abandoned - it continued to be visited occasionally by the faithful.
In subsequent centuries, the site of ancient Paestum and indeed the entire region was in a bad state. Poverty, corruption and banditry were all widespread. Occasional attempts were made by bishops of Capaccio to restore the old basilica, including a partial restructuring in the early 16th century. At the end of the 17th century, another bishop made repairs to prevent its imminent collapse.
After the rediscovery of Paestum's temples and the subsequent flow of visitors to the site in the 18th century, the church was given an unfortunate Baroque makeover. Thankfully, however, the ancient basilica remained mostly intact beneath the Baroque additions and, after 20th-century excavations, much of it has been revealed again.
Christian Catacombs, Rome
The ancient catacombs are one of the most interesting and most popular sights in Rome. Forming an underground maze in the outskirts of the city, the catacombs provide a rare glimpse into the earliest centuries of Christianity. In addition to the countless burial chambers that line the tunnels, the catacombs are home to some of the earliest examples of Christian art.
History
The burial custom of most ancient Romans tended to be cremation, with ashes stored in urns. But Christian belief in the bodily resurrection led the early Christians to reject this practice and bury their dead instead. This method requires significantly more space, of course, and the early Christians did not own much land. So the catacombs made a practical, even necessary, solution for burial of the faithful.
The catacombs had other advantages as well: they were an ideal way to strengthen the sense of Christian community (both in life and death) and they provided quiet, out-of-the-way places for memorial ceremonies and displaying Christian symbols.
The first large-scale Christian catacombs were excavated in the 2nd century AD. They were all located outside the city walls, as Roman law forbade burial within the city limits. In addition to burial, the catacombs were used for memorial services and celebrations of the anniversaries of Christian martyrs.
Many modern depictions of the catacombs show them as hiding places for Christian populations during times of persecution, but there is little evidence for this. It probably only occurred in exceptional cases during the persecutions, when the catacombs were the only safe place to celebrate the Eucharist.
After Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire (381) and the cult of relics became an established part of Christian worship, the catacombs became a place of pilgrimage. But within a couple more centuries, the saints began to be buried in churches rather than catacombs and the faithful dead joined them in church cemeteries. By the 6th century catacombs were used only for martyrs’ memorial services. The Ostrogoths, Vandals and Lombards that sacked Rome also violated the catacombs, taking whatever valuables they could find.
By the 10th century the catacombs were mostly abandoned and they remained forgotten until their accidental rediscovery in 1578. Antonio Bosio spent decades exploring and researching them for his Roma Sotterranea (1632) and, two centuries later, the archeologist Giovanni Battista de Rossi (1822-1894) published the first extensive professional studies about catacombs. In 1956 and 1959 more catacombs were discovered near Rome.
Today some of the catacombs are open to the public and they are one of the most popular stops in Rome for tourists and pilgrims alike.
Catacombe di San Giovanni, Siracusa
The Catacombs of St. John in Siracusa contain some 20,000 Early Christian tombs - honeycombed tunnels of empty coffins that were long ago looted of their "burial riches" by plundering grave robbers. They are entered through the evocative ruins of a Norman church.
History
In Roman times, Christians were not allowed to bury their dead within the city limits, so they went outside the boundaries of Syracuse to create burial chambers in what had been used by the Greeks as underground aqueducts. The early Christians recycled these into chapels.
Syracuse has other subterranean burial grounds, but the Catacombs of St. John are the only ones open to the public. You enter the "world of the dead" from the Chiesa di San Giovanni, now a ruin. St. Paul is said to have preached on this spot, so the early Christians venerated it as holy ground.
The church's roots go back to the 6th century, when a basilica stood here, but it was eventually destroyed by the Saracens. The Normans reconstructed it in the 12th century and it served as the cathedral of Syracuse, but in 1693 an earthquake destroyed it. A baroque church was then built, but was abandoned in the 17th century and left in ruins by the earthquake of 1908.
Cave of the Seven Sleepers, Ephesus
At the archaeological site of Ephesus, a well-paved road heading east of the Vedius Gymnasium leads to the Cave of the Seven Sleepers, about .8km (1/2 mile) away.
History
The "Seven Sleepers" were seven young men who had been walled up in a cave during the persecutions under Decius (c.250). They fell asleep, miraculously waking up around 435 in the time of Theodosius II.
The seven men wandered into the city of Ephesus, amazed at all the churches and the freedom of worship for Christians. The Sleepers later died naturally (and permanently) and were buried in the cave in which they had slept.
The miracle was apparently first described by Bishop Stephen of Ephesus (448-51). It seems to have been immediately accepted, perhaps in part because of its usefulness for a current Origenist controversy having to do with the resurrection of the body. Interestingly, the Seven Sleepers also appear in the Qur'an (Koran); in this version, the boys are accompanied by a dog (Sura 18).
The grotto associated with the Seven Sleepers, located on the eastern slope of Panayirdag hill, became a highly venerated site and a major place of pilgrimage from the 5th to 15th centuries. Many people were buried in the grotto with the Sleepers. A brick church was built above the seven original tombs, with mosaic floors and marble revetments. A large, domed mausoleum was added to the cave in the 6th century.
Excavations were carried out in the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers between 1927 and 1930. Intriguingly, the archaeologists discovered that the cave complex predates the legend by several centuries. An abundance of lamps found in the Grotto date from before the 5th century, and not all of them are Christian.
Church of Mary (Meryem Kilisesi), Ephesus
The Church of Mary (Meryem Kilisesi) is a church of great historical significance located in Ephesus. It is also known as the Double Church, because it is thought one aisle was dedicated to the Virgin and the other to St. John, and the Council Church because the Council of Ephesus is believed to have been held here.
History
A great ecumenical council was held in Ephesus in 431, concerning whether the Virgin Mary might properly be called Theotokos, or bearer of God. The term had become popular in devotion and worship but was controversial. Many church leaders held that it was an appropriate title, reasoning that since Christ was both truly man and truly God, one could say Mary gave birth to God.
Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople, and his party believed the term "Theotokos" threatened the humanity of Christ and denigrated the greatness of God, and suggested Mary be called "Christotokos," bearer of Christ, instead. The council decided in favor of the Theotokos title, which has been used for Mary ever since. Nestorius was harrassed by mobs in Ephesus throughout the council, and exiled to Antioch afterwards.
The Acts of the Council of Ephesus, which record the events and discussions of the months-long council, state that the sessions took place in "the church named after Mary." Until recently, it was thought that this Church of Mary was built under the reign of Constantine the Great (324-30), based mainly on its architectural style.
However, extensive excavations by the Austrian Archaeological Institute led by Stefan Karweise in 1984-86 and 1990-93 have revolutionized this long-accepted view.
The most recent excavations indicate that the Church of Mary was built into the south stoa (portico) of the great Olympieion (Temple to Hadrian Olympios), whose foundations can be still be seen to the north of the church. The Olympieion was a large temple precinct built from about 100 to 130 AD on a filled-in swampy area next to the harbor. The great imperial temple dedicated to Emperor Hadrian (who identified himself with the Olympian Zeus) earned Ephesus its second neokorate, the honorary title of neokoros or "temple-warden" that brought various privileges.
The south stoa that would later contain the Church of Mary was built after the Olympieion, around 200 AD. It was a monumental entrance to the sanctuary, but also an important building in itself. It has been variously identified as a corn exchange, public meeting house, or museion (science teaching center), but Karweise believes it was probably another imperial temple, dedicated to the joint emperors Caracalla and Geta. Ephesus earned its third neokorate from this temple in 211.
Whatever its original use, this basilica-like building south of the Olympieion was abondoned in the 3rd century, when the city was in decline because of a great plague and the attacks of the Goths in 258-62. The Church of Mary was later built in the ruins of this Roman building.
In the 1990s, Stefan Karweise and his archaeological team excavated the Church of Mary with surprising results. He reports:
In a trench outside the church wall, secure evidence was found in the foundation ditch proving that the church was not built as early as the period of Constantine nor even in 431, but several decades later.
Archaeological evidence from sherds and coins has proven beyond doubt that the lateral walls, consisting of huge limestone blocks which might have come from the foundations of the Olympeion, were not erected before about 500. Since these walls closed the open sides of the Roman stoa, they belong to the time when the church was founded. The Constantinian date… must be rejected… and instead a date in the reign of Anastasius I [491-530] must be employed. Similarly, it is clear that the block walls did not replace older church walls, since there is no evidence of this. The dates of the baptistery and narthexes have not yet been verified.[58]
Whenever it was built, the Church of Mary served as the cathedral of Ephesus, with the bishop living in an adjacent palace, throughout Late Antiquity. One alteration during this time is attested by an inscription: one Bishop John had a portal cut through from the atrium to the narthex. This may be the bishop who was installed at the Council of Chalcedon in 451.
In the 530s, Hypatius was bishop of Ephesus. An important figure beyond Ephesus, Hypatius was a leading theologian and writer who fought against the heresy of monophysitism at synods in Constantinople and was sent by Emperor Justinian on a diplomatic mission to the Ostrogothic government in Rome.
At home in Ephesus, Hypatius presided over the early stages of construction of the Basilica of St. John, a massive project which was financed by Justianian — perhaps in part because of the influence of Hypatius. In his own cathedral, the Church of Mary, Hypatius commissioned a long inscription carved on revetment plaques in the narthex. The decree deals with the burial of the poor, an important charity provided by the church. It recalled the example of the Lord, who was buried in a tomb donated by Joseph of Arimathea, and ordains that no church official should take money for burial services. The inscription shows the continued importance of the Church of Mary, which is called "the most holy church."
After the Arab raids of 654 the bishop moved to the Basilica of St. John and remained there for two centuries until it came under attack in 867. The Paulicians, a militant Armenian sect, turned the Basilica of St. John into a stable and the bishop moved back to the Church of Mary, which was repaired and partially rebuilt for that purpose.
The later history of the Church of Mary is less clear, as the city of Ephesus was in sharp decline. But sealed graves have been discovered in and outside of the church that date all the way to the late medieval period, indicating the church was still in use by local Christians until at least the 14th century. Today, the church is mostly in ruins.
Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna
Located in the backyard of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna is known for its ancient and breathtaking mosaics. The small brick structure dates from around 430 AD, making it one of the oldest monuments in Ravenna. Galla Placidia, a powerful Roman empress, was never buried here but likely commissioned the building.
History
According to tradition, this ancient building was made to house the tomb of Galla Placidia, daughter of Emperor Theodosius I (379-395) and half-sister of Honorius (393-423). After short marriages to a Visigothic king (414-16) and the Roman co-emperor Constantius III (417-21), the powerful empress became the virtual ruler of the western world for 12 years (425-37) as regent for her young son Valentinian III.
Galla Placidia died in Rome on November 27, 450, and depsite a long tradition to the contrary, it is unlikely she was ever buried in Ravenna. Far more probable that she was buried in the Rotunda of St. Petronilla next to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The rotunda is known to have been the mausoleum of the family of Theodosius, and Galla herself, just a few months before her death, had the body of Theodosius II shipped from Constantinople to be buried there.
Modern scholarly opinion is that the "Mausoleum of Galla Placidia" was built as an oratory rather than a mausoleum. It was originally connected to the narthex of the adjacent church of Santa Croce, which is known to have been built by Galla Placidia. So she probably commissioned the oratory, and it rightly takes her name, even if she was never buried there.
The mosaics of Galla Placidia have impressed millions of visitors over the centuries, including, it is said, Cole Porter. The story goes that while on his honeymoon in Ravenna in the 1920s, he wrote "Night and Day" while thinking of the starry sky of Galla Placidia.
Milan Baptistery
Beneath Milan's Duomo lies the Battistero Paleocristiano, ruins of a Early Christian Christian baptistery dating from the 4th century. The excavations also include the remains of earlier cathedrals. The Battistero is a magnificent example of an ancient octagonal baptistery and it is almost certainly where St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, baptized St. Augustine.
History
Milan's first cathedral was completed by 355 AD, when a synod was held there, and the baptistery was almost certainly complete by then as well. That makes it slightly newer than the Lateran Baptistery in Rome (the oldest baptistery in Europe) and older than the Baptistery of St. John in Poitiers (which is the oldest Christian building in France).
St. Ambrose became bishop of Milan in 374. He is credited with the inscription on the walls of the baptistery, which reads:
Eight-niched soars this temple for sacred rites
Eight corners has its font
Right it is to build this baptismal hall about the sacred number eight
For here the people are reborn.
In Christian symbolism, the number eight represents eternity and rebirth, because the world was created in seven days and Christ rose from the dead on the eighth day. Most Early Christian baptisteries, as well as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, were octagonal in plan.
St. Augustine came to Milan in 384 and was immediately impressed by the preaching of Bishop Ambrose. At first attending sermons to admire his rhetorical skill, Augustine was eventually moved by the message and converted to Catholic Christianity. Ambrose baptized Augustine and his son Adeodatus on Easter Vigil in 387. It is very likely that this momentous event - the baptism of one Latin Doctor of the Church by another - took place in this baptistery.
Neonian Baptistery, Ravenna
The Neonian Bapistery (Battistero Neoniano, also known as the Battistero Ortodosso or Orthodox Baptistery) is an octagonal baptistery built in the 5th century. It is the oldest monument in Ravenna and contains some of the city's most beautiful Byzantine mosaics.
History
The Battistero Neoniano was built as part of Ravenna's orthodox (non-Arian) cathedral, which was built in the early 5th century but no longer stands in its original form. The baptistery was converted from an old Roman bath-house, beginning under Bishop Ursus around 400 AD.
The building was finished by Bishop Neone (451-75) in the second half of the 5th century, during which the mosaics were added to the dome. It is from this bishop that the Battistero Neoniano gets its name.
Basilica di San Clemente, Rome
The Basilica di San Clemente (Basilica of St. Clement) is an early Christian basilica in Rome dedicated to Pope St. Clement (d. 99 AD).
The church has a beautiful interior, but it is especially notable for its three historical layers. The 12th-century basilica is built on top of a well-preserved 4th-century church (with many frescoes), which was built next to a 3rd-century Mithraic Temple. For an admission fee, it is possible to explore the excavations of the lower two levels, which is a fascinating journey into the history of Rome.
History
This ancient church was transformed over the centuries from a private home and site of clandestine Christian worship in the first century to a grand public basilica by the 6th century, reflecting the emerging Roman Catholic Church's growing legitimacy and power.
In the late 1st century AD, an insula (apartment building) and mansion were built here, separated by a narrow Roman street. These were built on top of earlier structures that were destroyed in the great fire of 64 AD under Nero.
A Christian community is believed to have met in the mansion by the 2nd century. The community was known as the titulus Clementis, which according to custom was probably named for the owner of the mansion. Some believe this was the Roman consul and Christian martyr Titus Flavius Clemens (d. 215).
In the early 3rd century, the inner courtyard of the insula was made into a Mithraeum, or Temple of Mithras. Mithras was a sun god of Persian origin whose cult was for men only and involved secret initiation rituals in small, cave-like structures.
Some years later, a large hall was built over the inner courtyard and ground floor rooms of the adjoining mansion. It may have been built with the express purpose of housing the Christian community.
Not long after Christian persecution ended under Constantine (313 AD) and Christianity became the official religion of the empire (380s AD), the hall became a full-fledged church. This is the lower church that can still be visited today.
The existing hall was converted into a basilica under Pope Siricius (384-99), which is recorded on the dedicatory inscription to the left of the entrance. Changes included the addition of an apse, a narthex and an atrium, the blocking of openings in its sides, and the creation of a nave and two aisles by the addition of two colonnades.
Increasing veneration of Clement of Rome (d. 99 AD and may be mentioned in Philippians 4:3), combined with the name of the titulus already meeting there, led to the dedication of the church to St. Clement.
The Basilica of St. Clement hosted two papal councils in the 5th century. It was restored in the 6th, 8th, and 9th centuries; frescoes were added during each restoration.
The church was badly damaged during the Norman sack of Rome in 1084. Even before the Normans arrived, though, it was located 5 meters below street level and not structurely safe. It was therefore abandoned and Pope Paschal II (1099-1118) built a new church above it in 1108.
This is the upper church that has survived largely unchanged to today. On one wall in the courtyard there is a plaque signed by Pope Clement XI that praises the Basilica of San Clemente, declaring, "This ancient church has withstood the ravages of the centuries."
The upper church of San Clemente was given to the Irish Dominicans, who were expelled from Britain, in 1677. The upper church was restored in the 18th century.
Although the existence of the lower church was known, its remains lie untouched until the mid-19th-century, when the Irish Dominican Father Mullooly began excavations. Later priors of San Clemente further excavated the church and Roman buildings, but some parts have yet to be explored. The recent discovery of a 6th-century baptismal font indicates that there is still more to be found.
San Giovanni in Fonte (Baptistery), Rome
San Giovanni in Fonte (also known as the Lateran Baptistery) is an early Christian baptistery located next to St. John Lateran and the Lateran Palace in Rome.
Built by Constantine the Great in 315, the ancient structure is one of the oldest Christian buildings in Rome and the oldest baptistery in all of Christendom. It provided the model for later versions, including the famous Byzantine baptisteries at Ravenna.
History
Excavations beneath the baptistery have revealed remains of a 1st-century Roman villa and an early-2nd-century bathhouse. The bathhouse was completely rebuilt a century later.
In 315, Emperor Constantine the Great built a baptistery on this site to serve the adjacent cathedral of St. John Lateran, also built by him. Popular medieval legend had it that Constantine was baptized here by Pope Sylvester, but in fact he was baptized on his deathbed by an Arian bishop in 337.
Churches did not contain their own baptisteries at this early date, and San Giovanni in Fonte was the only place to be baptized in Rome until the late 300s. At that time, baptisms were held only at Easter and usually after a period of instruction.
By the end of the 4th century, increasing numbers of Christians led to many more baptisms, which in turn led to baptisms being performed throughout the year and baptisteries being built into churches. Thus free-standing baptisteries like this one stopped being built, and San Giovanni in Fonte itself came to take on the functions of a church.
In the 5th century, Constantine's original baptistery was remodelled by Pope Sixtus III (432-40) in a similar style as the Mausoleum of Santa Costanza, including the addition of a narthex.
A few decades later, Pope Hilarius (461-68) added side chapels dedicated to John the Baptist and John the Evangelist.
Pope John IV (640-42) added the Chapel of St. Venantius, the largest of the three side chapels. John IV was one of the first popes to transfer martyrs' bones to churches in Rome. He brought the remains of Venantius, Anastasia and Maurus from Dalmatia to place in his chapel. A few years later, under Pope Theodore I (642-49), the chapel was decorated with mosaics.
The baptistery was restored under Pope Hadrian III (884-85) and also in the 12th century. A major redecoration of the interior in the 17th century accounts for the unfortunate loss of the ambulatory mosaics and the covering of most of the marble revetment. More recently, the baptistery was fully restored after damage by a car bombing in 1993.
San Lorenzo Maggiore, Milan
Dating from the 4th century AD, the Chiesa di San Lorenzo Maggiore is the oldest church in Milan. With ancient architecture that might seem more at home in Ravenna, San Lorenzo recalls the days when Milan was the capital of the Western Roman Empire.
History
Founded in the 4th century, San Lorenzo Maggiore was at the time one of the largest buildings in the west. The foundations were made of enormous blocks taken from other Roman sites and the interior was decorated with marble along the lower half and mosaics up higher.
The church was rebuilt in the 11th century and heavily renovated in the 16th century. The church was restored in the 1930s.
St. Paul Outside the Walls, Rome
The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura) is one of the five major basilicas of Rome, Italy.
Originally founded by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, the Basilica di San Paolo is the burial place of Saint Paul the Apostle. It features a fascinating array of historical, religious and artistic sights to explore.
History
After his execution and burial in Rome in the 1st century AD, Saint Paul's followers erected a shrine (cella memoriae) over the grave. Early Christians frequently visited the site to honor the great Apostle to the Gentiles and author of more than half of the New Testament.
The first church on the site was a small one, founded by Emperor Constantine and consecrated on November 18, 324.
In 386 Emperor Theodosius demolished the original church and began the construction of a much larger basilica. According to the inscription on the triumphal arch, it was consecrated in 390 by Siricius, and completed in 395 under Emperor Honorius. Although heavily restored, the present basilica looks much the same as it did in the 4th century.
In the course of time the monasteries and the basilica declined, but St. Gregory II restored the monasteries and entrusted the monks with the care of the basilica.
In 883, the walls and tower encircling the church were completed. This was known as the "Johannipolis," or "City of John" after Pope John VIII (872-882), and was built to protect the church from Lombards and Saracens. The defense works were tested in 1083-1084, when they withstood several attacks by Emperor Henry IV.
In 937, when St. Odo of Cluny came to Rome, Alberico II, patrician of Rome, entrusted the monastery and basilica to his congregation and Odo placed Balduino of Monte Cassino in charge. Pope Gregory VII was abbot of the monastery and in his time Pantaleone of Amalfi presented the bronze gates of the basilica, which were executed by Constantinopolitan artists.
Pope Martin V entrusted it to the monks of the Congregation of Monte Cassino. The jurisdiction of the abbot extended over the districts of Civitella San Paolo, Leprignano, and Nazzano, all of which formed parishes.
The graceful cloisters of the monastery were erected between 1220 and 1241. In the time of Gregory the Great there were two monasteries near the basilica: St. Aristus's for men and St. Stefano's for women. Services were carried out by a special body of clerics instituted by Pope Simplicius.
In 1823 a great fire, started through the negligence of a workman who was repairing the lead of the roof, resulted in the destruction of the basilica. Alone of all the churches of Rome, it had preserved its primitive character for 1,435 years.
The whole world contributed to its restoration. The Viceroy of Egypt sent pillars of alabaster, the Emperor of Russia the precious malachite and lapis lazuli of the tabernacle.
The work on the principal facade, looking toward the Tiber, was completed by the Italian government, which declared the church a national monument.
San Salvatore, Spoleto
The Church of San Salvatore in Spoleto is off the tourist track but it is one of the oldest and most remarkable churches in Italy and well worth seeking out. Dating from the late 4th century, it was built in the style of a Classical pagan temple. Despite some later alternations, its original architecture remains remarkably well-preserved today.
San Vitale Basilica, Ravenna
The Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna dates from the mid-6th century and contains what are probably the finest Byzantine mosaics in the western world.
History
Construction of San Vitale Basilica was initiated by Ecclesius, Bishop of Ravenna, shortly after a trip to Byzantium with Pope John in 525. The following year, Amalasuntha succeeded her father Theodoric as ruler of the Goths and of Ravenna; both rulers were Arian but she was more tolerant of Catholics than he had been.
Construction on San Vitale Basilica began in 526 on the site of the martyrdom of St. Vitalis. The church was almost entirely funded by a single wealthy individual called Julianus Argentarius. This otherwise unknown figure is thought to have been a private banker of Ravenna or perhaps a royal envoy of Justinian, sent to prepare the way for the Byzantine conquest.
The Byzantines took Ravenna in 540 and the basilica that was begun under the Goths was finished under Byzantine rule, in 548. It was consecrated by Maximian, the first Archbishop of Ravenna. Nearly all of what can be seen today, including the splendid mosaics, dates from this early period.
Basilica of St. Agnes Outside the Walls, Rome
The Basilica di Sant'Agnese Fuori le Mura (Basilica of St. Agnes Outside the Walls) is a 7th century church in Rome. It is notable for its mosaics, shrine of the virgin martyr St. Agnes, and catacombs.
History
Saint Agnes was a member of Roman nobility born in 291 and raised in a Christian family. She suffered martyrdom at age 13 during the reign of the Eastern Roman Emperor Diocletian, on January 21, 304.
According to tradition, the prefect Sempronius wished her to marry his son, and on her refusal condemned her to death. Roman law did not permit the execution of virgins, so he ordered her to be raped beforehand, but her honor was miraculously preserved.
St. Agnes was led out to be burned at the stake, but the bundle of wood would not burn. The officer in charge of the troops drew his sword and struck off her head.
Saint Agnes is the patron saint of young girls. Folk custom called for them to practice rituals on Saint Agnes' Eve (20th-21st January) with a view to discovering their future husbands. This superstition has been immortalized in John Keats's poem, "The Eve of Saint Agnes."
She is represented in art as holding a palm-branch in her hand and a lamb at her feet or in her arms.
Today, the Church of St. Agnes is overseen by a French traditionalist order.
Santa Costanza, Rome
Santa Costanza is an imperial mausoleum in Rome that was later dedicated as a church (in Italian it is known both as Mausoleo di Santa Costanza and Chiesa di Santa Costanza). This fascinating and beautiful building dates from the 4th century AD and features some of the earliest surviving Christian art.
History
The Mausoleum of Santa Costanza is named for Constantine the Great's daughter Constantia (also known as Constantina or Costanza), who died in 354 AD.
Early accounts (such as the Liber Pontificalis) record that Constantia requested a funerary hall be built here on the imperial estate, and Constantine did so (this is the building now in ruins next to the mausoleum). The funerary hall resembled others built by Constantine and was dedicated to the virgin martyr St. Agnes.
These early accounts also report that Constantine built a baptistery here, in which Constantia and the emperor's sister Helena were baptized by Pope Sylvester. For a time it was believed that the mausoleum is this baptistery, but excavations under the mausoleum in 1992 revealed a triconch (clover-shaped) building that is probably the baptistery.
Scholars think construction on the funerary hall and triconch baptistery would have begun between 326 (Constantine's last visit to Rome) and 329-330 (the death of Constantine's sister).
After Constantia died in 354, her body was brought back from Bithynia to be buried on the imperial estate in Rome (Ammianus, History 14.11.6). It was long assumed she was buried in the mausoleum, but it is now thought that the building was probably still unfinished at that time. She was probably buried either in the triconch building or in the apse of the now-ruined funerary hall.
The round mausoleum that we can visit today was probably built in the 360s or 370s. Despite its name, the mausoleum of Santa Costanza was probably built especially for Constantine's younger sister Helena, who was married to the emperor Julian "the Apostate" (ruled 361-63).
As the daughter, sister and wife of three separate emperors (Constantius, Constantine, Julian), Helena had considerable status and it makes sense that she would receive a burial place of great splendor. The mausoleum's columns were reused from Roman structures and its mosaics (many still intact) reflect both pagan and Christian imagery.
Helena is known to have died in 360 or 361 in Gaul and, like Constantia, her body was brought to the imperial estate here in Rome for burial. Helena was buried in the mausoleum and Constantia's body was transferred from its original resting place to the new mausoleum.
Pope Nicholas I celebrated Mass in the mausoleum in 865, when the building was first called Santa Costanza. The mausoleum was consecrated as a church in the 13th century. Pope Alessandro IV took what were believed to be Constantia's remains from the main sarcophagus, placed them beneath a central altar, and consecrated the building in her honor on March 12, 1256.
The Mausoleo di Santa Costanza has been periodically restored over the years, but it remains primarily a 4th-century structure. One major restoration took place in 1620 under Cardinal Veralli, during which the mosaics in the dome were destroyed.
In 1992, excavations were carried out beneath the atrium, revealing new information about its early history
Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome
Dating from the 4th century AD, Santa Maria in Trastevere has a long history and dazzling 12th-century mosaics that make it well worth a visit. Located in the popular Trastevere neighborhood, its atmospheric piazza is enhanced by the mosaics on the façade, especially at night when the church and its tower are illuminated.
History
Santa Maria in Trastevere may have originally been founded as early as the 3rd century by Pope Callixtus (217-22), but it was probably built around 350 AD under Pope Julius I (337-52). In this early period the church was known as titulus Callisti. It was partially destroyed by fire during the sack of Rome in 410, then repaired and rededicated to the Virgin Mary by Pope Celestine (422-32).
Restoration was undertaken by Pope Hadrian I (772-95), then Pope Gregory IV (827-44) added a crypt to hold the bodies of the popes Calixtus, Julius I and Cornelius that had been exhumed from the catacombs. Renovations of the apse took place under Pope Leo IV (847-55) and Benedict III (855-58).
The church was totally rebuilt in the 12th century by Pope Innocent II (1130-43), using materials from the ancient Baths of Caracalla. Most of the present building dates from this era, with the portico and some other remodelling from the 19th centu
Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome
Founded in the 4th century, the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica of Saint Mary Major) is one of the five great ancient basilicas of Rome. Its 18th-century exterior conceals one of the best-preserved Byzantine interiors in the city.
History
Santa Maria Maggiore stands on the site of a temple to the goddess Cybele. According to a 13th-century legend, the first church was built here by Pope Liberius (352-66), on the site of an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The legend has it that the Virgin appeared to Pope Liberius and the patrician Giovanni Patrizio on August 4, 352 (or 358), instructing them to build a church on the Esquiline Hill. That night, the floor plan was outlined by a miraculous snowfall.
Archaeological evidence, on the other hand, indicates that the church was probably first built in the early 400s and completed under Pope Sixtus III (432-440). This was a time when churches dedicated to Mary were beginning to spring up all over the empire, prompted by an increasingly popular devotion to the Virgin and the official acceptance of her title "Theotokos" (Mother of God) at the Council of Ephesus in 431.
The church has had many names over the years: first Santa Maria della Neve (St. Mary of the Snow) after the snowfall, then Santa Maria Liberiana after Pope Liberius. After the basilica obtained a relic of the Holy Crib, it was called Santa Maria Del Presepe (St. Mary of the Crib). It was finally named Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major) because it is the largest of the 26 churches in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Santa Maria Maggiore was fully restored and renovated in the 18th century - the facade and most of the interior decorations date from this period. Today, the basilica is served by Redemptorist and Dominican fathers and remains very popular with pilgrims and tourists alike.
Santa Sabina, Rome
Built in 422 AD, Santa Sabina is widely considered the best example of an early Christian church in Rome. It has a similar design to the great basilica of Sant'Apollinaire Nuovo in Ravenna, which was built later. Although few of its mosaics survive, Santa Sabina is famed for its 5th-century wooden doors carved with biblical scenes. The church stands atop the Aventine Hill, providing fine views of Rome from an adjacent orange grove.
History
Santa Sabina was built at the top of the Aventine Hill on the site of the Temple of Juno Regina, using many of its materials. The church was an expansion of a Roman house-church (titulus) owned by a woman named Sabina. As was common in ancient Rome, the church preserved the name of the title holder by simply adding "Saint" onto her name.
The Church of Santa Sabina was founded around 425 AD by the presbyter Peter of Illyria, who recorded his name and good works in a mosaic inscription (which can still be seen). It was completed by about 432.
Marking a development from the earlier basilica style seen at San Clemente, Santa Sabina "typifies in plan and proportion the new Roman standard basilica of the fifth century," representing "a high point of Roman church building" (Krautheimer).
A number of changes were made to the church over the years, including a restoration under Pope Leo III (795-816) and a redecoration under the archpresbyter Eugenius II in 824-27. Eugenius added the marble furniture of the chancel (which survives) and enshrined the relics of three saints in the high altar: Alexander, Theodolus and Eventius.
In 1222, Santa Sabina was given to the newly-created Dominican Order, in whose care it remains today.
A major remodeling of the interior in the Renaissance style took place under Pope Sixtus V (1585-90), which was reversed in a restoration of 1914-19. The work included reconstructing all the original windows and piecing together the marble chancel furniture from fragments found in the pavement.
Catacombs of St. Paul, Rabat
The Catacombs of St. Paul are not themselves associated with Paul but derive their name from their proximity to St. Paul's Church and Grotto. They are a fascinating labyrinth of 3rd-century AD subterranean tombs and the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta.
St. Paul's Catacombs incorporates tombs for more than 1,000 bodies in 2,200 square meters. Not all of the site is accessible, but enough is open to the public to provide a fascinating look at several different types of tombs.
The few surviving murals, although fragmentary, are important since they constitute the only surviving evidence on Malta of painting from this period.
At the bottom of steep steps, seven meters into the catacombs, are two striking rooms divided by a central pillar.
The main crypt, on the right, has a high ceiling and at either end a raised plinth with circular table and a semicircular bench, a feature unique to Malta. Both table and bench are hewn out of the rock in one piece, forming a single architectural unit within an apsed recess. These were used for commemorative meals during the annual festival of the dead, an ancient Roman custom.
Down a couple more steps, the crypt to the left may have been a chapel — it has a recess at the far end that may have been an altar. Here there are "Luculus tombs," small rectangular recesses cut into a wall and used for children.
On the right are two long corridors about 25 meters long each, leading to groups of tombs in which the body was interred underneath the pitched roof via an opening in the lower wall. To the left is another small group of canopied tombs and a long twisty passage leading to a lower level.
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
St. Peter's Basilica (Italian: San Pietro in Vaticano) is a major basilica in Vatican City, an enclave of Rome. St. Peter's was until recently the largest church ever built and it remains one of the holiest sites in Christendom. Contrary to what one might reasonably assume, St. Peter's is not a cathedral - the cathedral of Rome is St. John Lateran.
St. Peter's Basilica stands on the traditional site where Peter - the apostle who is considered the first pope - was crucified and buried. St. Peter's tomb is under the main altar and many other popes are buried in the basilica as well. Originally founded by Constantine in 324, St. Peter's Basilica was rebuilt in the 16th century by Renaissance masters including Bramante, Michelangelo and Bernini.
History
In the 1st century AD, the site of St. Peter's Basilica hosted the Circus of Nero and a cemetery. According to ancient tradition, St. Peter was martyred in the Circus and buried nearby. His simple grave was remembered and visited by the faithful, and in 324, Emperor Constantine began construction on a great basilica over the tomb. The shrine of St. Peter is still the central focus of the church today.
In the mid-15th century it was decided that the old basilica should be rebuilt. Pope Nicholas V asked architect Bernardo Rossellino to start adding to the old church. This was abandoned after a short while, but in the late 15th century Pope Sixtus IV had the Sistine Chapel started nearby.
Construction on the current building began under Pope Julius II in 1506 and was completed in 1615 under Pope Paul V. Donato Bramante was to be the first chief architect. Many famous artists worked on the "Fabbrica di San Pietro" (as the complex of building operations were officially called). Michelangelo, who served as main architect for a while, designed the dome, and Bernini designed the great St. Peter's Square.
Trier Cathedral
Though it might be mistaken for a fortress, Trier Cathedral (Dom St. Peter) houses an impressive collection of artworks, architecture and holy relics. It is also of considerable historical significance, as the oldest church in Germany. Today, Trier Cathedral remains a working Catholic cathedral and an important Catholic shrine that still receives pilgrims.
History
Christianity first arrived in Trier as early as the late 100s AD, although local legend has it that the faith was established in the first century by a bishop sent by the apostle Peter himself.
The history of Dom St. Peter begins in Roman times, when a church was built by Constantine, the first Christian emperor, over the palace of his mother Helena. Construction began in 326 AD, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his reign. He also began St. Peter's Basilica in Rome to mark the occasion.
The Constantinian church was four times as big as the present-day cathedral, covering the area of the cathedral, the Leibfrauenkirche, the Cathedral Square, the adjoining garden, and the houses almost up to the Markt.
After extensive damage in the 5th and 9th centuries, the surviving part of Constantine's church was enlarged with major additions in the Romanesque style in 1035. Gothic and Baroque touches were later added, and the various styles blend nicely together, bringing a timeless unity to the interior.
In the Middle Ages, the Archbishop of Trier was an important ecclesiastical prince, controlling land from the French border to the Rhine. He was also one of the seven electors of the Holy Roman Empire.
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