Sant'Agnese fuori le mura

Coordinates: 41°55′23″N 12°31′08″E / 41.92292°N 12.51888°E / 41.92292; 12.51888
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura
)
Church of Saint Agnes Outside the Wall
Sant'Agnese fuori le mura (in Italian)
S. Agnes extra moenia (in Latin)
Saint Agnes
Architecture
Architectural typeByzantine
Groundbreaking4th century AD
Completed7th century AD
Clergy
Cardinal protectorCardinal Camillo Ruini

The church of Saint Agnes Outside the Walls (

Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Agnetis Extra moenia is Camillo Ruini.[2]

History

plan and elevation
The altar and apse
matroneum
Catacomb of Saint Agnes.

A very large basilica was built some metres from the present church in the 4th century, to which was attached the large private mausoleum for

Constantine I. The mausoleum was later converted into a church, which survives and is now known as Santa Costanza (she was venerated as a saint, even though she was not one officially). It contains very important 4th century mosaics, especially large areas of ceiling in a secular style, but also two small apse mosaics, one including an early depiction of Jesus in what has become the standard style of long fair hair and a halo
.

The large basilica decayed during the decline of Rome, and was replaced in the 7th century by the present much smaller church, commissioned by Pope

Honorius I. The lower part of the walls from about half of one side of the Constantinian basilica, and its apse, can still be seen. The new church was over what was believed to be Agnes's grave. The floor level of the 7th-century church is some two metres above the level of the catacomb floor, and the public street entrances are at the level of the 2nd floor gallery. A long wide internal set of steps, lined with inscriptions from the catacombs and other ancient buildings set into the walls, leads down from the street level to the floor level of the church. The apse mosaic from Honorius's time is still present, and less affected by restoration than most mosaics of this date. On a gold ground, a central standing figure of Agnes in the costume of a Byzantine empress is flanked by Honorius, offering a model of the building, and another pope, whose identity is uncertain. The church was also built with a separate upper gallery for women (matronaeum), similar to that of San Lorenzo fuori le mura. Saint Emerentiana was also buried here.[3]

The catacombs are on three levels, dating from the 2nd to the 5th centuries; part of the highest level dating to the 2nd century can be visited by a guided tour. Though no paintings remain in place, there are a number of inscriptions and engraved images of interest. Many more inscriptions line the large staircase leading from the main convent above to the church.

It is in this church that on the feast day of St. Agnes (January 21), two

papacy
.

The church was assigned to the

Children of Mary, founded here in 1864.[4]

In legend and literature

The church is the topic of Canadian author and anthropologist Margaret Visser's book The Geometry of Love, published in 2000, which describes it in exhaustive detail and discusses aspects of history, theology, architecture, symbolism and the emotional and aesthetic effects of visiting the church.

List of Cardinal Priests

The Church of S. Agnese fuori le mura was established as a titular church for a Cardinal Priest on 5 October 1654 by Pope

Innocent X:[5]

References

  1. ^ "S. Agnese fuori le mura". Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  2. ^ a b Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXIII. 1991. p. 630.
  3. ^ David Farmer, Oxford Dictionary of Saints Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 157
  4. ^ Catholic Encyclopedia, 1922, s.v. canons, p. 153
  5. ^ David M. Cheney, Catholic-Hierarchy: S. Agnese fuori le mura. Retrieved: 2016-03-12.
  6. ^ Salvador Miranda, The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church: Cardinal Baccio Aldobrandini. Retrieved: 2016-03-12.
Additional sources

External links

Media related to Sant'Agnese fuori le mura (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons

Preceded by
San Lorenzo fuori le mura 		Landmarks of Rome
Sant'Agnese fuori le mura 		Succeeded by
Sant'Agostino
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sant%27Agnese_fuori_le_mura&oldid=1211927355"