Santi Quattro Coronati
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Santi Quattro Coronati | |
---|---|
Basilica of the Four Holy Crowned Ones | |
Basilica dei Santi Quattro Coronati | |
minor basilica | |
Founded | 4th century |
Dedication | Four Crowned Martyrs |
Architecture | |
Architectural type | Carolingian |
Completed | 1116 |
Administration | |
Diocese | Rome |
Santi Quattro Coronati is an ancient
The Santi Quattro Coronati
"Santi Quattro Coronati" means the Four Holy Crowned Ones [i.e. martyrs], and refers to the fact that the saints' names are not known, and therefore referred to with their number, and that they were martyrs, since the crown, together to the branches of palm, is an ancient symbol of martyrdom. According to the Passion of St. Sebastian, the four saints were soldiers who refused to sacrifice to
These martyrs were later identified with the four martyrs from Albano; Secundus (or Severus); Severianus; Carpoforus (Carpophorus); and Victorinus (Vittorinus). The bodies of the martyrs are kept in four ancient sarcophagi in the crypt. According to a stone dated 1123, the head of one of the four martyrs is buried in Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
History
Tradition holds the first church on the site was begun by
This church, however, was burned to the ground by
In the 13th century a
When the Popes moved to Avignon (14th century), the Cardinal Palace fell into ruin. Thus, upon the return of the Popes to Rome with Pope Martin V, a restoration was necessary. However, when the Papal residence moved from the Lateran to the Vatican palace, this basilica lost importance. In 1564, Pope Pius IV entrusted the basilica and the surrounding buildings to the Augustinians, who still serve it.
The interest in the history of this complex renewed in 1913, thanks to the work of the Fine Arts Superintendent Antonio Muñoz. Once the building became an orphanage, the Augustinian nuns put a revolving drum by its entrance which was used as a deposit "box" for unwanted babies.
Interior decoration
The apse contains the frescoes (1630) by Giovanni da San Giovanni of the four patron martyr saints, Severo, Severiano, Carpoforo e Vittorino. The altarpiece on the left nave of S.Sebastiano curato da Lucina e Irene was painted by Giovanni Baglione. The second courtyard holds the entrance to the Oratorio di San Silvestro, with frescoes of medieval origin, as well as others by Raffaellino da Reggio.
Titular see
Santi Quattro Coronati belongs to the titular churches of Rome from at least the end of 6th century. The title is now held by Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop emeritus of Los Angeles. Among those once assigned the title are: Pope Leo IV (847), King Henry of Portugal, who, in 1580, donated the magnificent wooden ceiling, and Pope Benedict XV (1914). The full list is known only from the pontificate of Pope Benedict XII (1334–1342):[1][2][3]
- Fortunato (595)[4]
- Teofano (745)
- Constantino (761)
- Leo (844–847)
- Leo (853)[5]
- Leonino (869)
- Stefano (882–885)
- Teofilatto (963–964)[6]
- Giovanni (993)[7]
- Hermann of Brescia (ca.1080–1098)[8]
- Agostino (1100–after 1103)[9]
- Benedetto of Terra Maggiore (obedience of Anacletus II, 1135–1137/38)
- Guillaume de Court, O.Cist. (1338–1350)
- Pierre Itier (1361–1364)
- Jean de Dormans (1368–1373)
- Hughes de Montelais (1375–1378, obedience of Avignon 1378–1379)
- Demetrius (1378–1387)
- Jean de Neufchatel (obedience of Avignon 1383–1392)
- Francesco Uguccione (1405–1412)
- Alfonso Carrillo de Albornoz (1423–1434)
- Louis de Luxembourg(1440–1442)
- Alfonso Borja(1444–1455)
- Luis Juan del Milà y Borja (1456–1508)
- Lorenzo Pucci (1513–1524)
- Antonio Pucci (1531–1541)
- Roberto Pucci (1544–1547)
- Henrique de Portugal (1547–1580)
- Giovan Antonio Facchinetti (1584–1591)
- Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti de Nuce (1592–1602)
- Giovanni Garzia Millini (1608–1627)
- Girolamo Vidoni (1627–1632)
- Francesco Boncompagni (1634–1641)
- Cesare Facchinetti (1643–1671)
- Francesco Albizzi (1671–1680)
- Sebastiano Antonio Tanara (1696–1715)
- Giovanni Patrizi (1716–1727)
- Alessandro Aldobrandini (1731–1734)
- Joaquín Fernández Portocarrero(1743–1747)
- Giovanni Battista Mesmer (1747–1749)
- Carlo Francesco Durini (1754–1769)
- Christoph Anton von Migazzi von Waal und Sonnenthurn(1775–1803)
- Lodovico Micara, O.F.M.Cap. (1826–1837)
- Giovanni Soglia Ceroni (1839–1856)
- Antonino Saverio De Luca (1863–1878)
- Americo Ferreira dos Santos Silva(1880–1899)
- Pietro Respighi (1899–1913)
- Giacomo della Chiesa (1914)
- Victoriano Guisasola Menéndez (1914–1920)
- Karl Joseph Schulte (1921–1941)
- Norman Thomas Gilroy(1946–1977)
- Julijans Vaivods (1983–1990)
- Roger Michael Mahony(1991–present)
Discovered frescoes
In 2002 art historian Andreina Draghi discovered an amazing display of frescoes, dating back to 13th century, while restoring the Gothic Hall of the monastery. Most of the scenes were well preserved under a thick layer of plaster, and represented the Twelve Months, the Liberal Arts, the Four Seasons and the Zodiac. The image of
References
- ^ Sources for the list: H.W. Klewitz, Reformpapsttum und Kardinalskolleg, Darmstadt 1957, p. 22 note 40, p. 75 and p. 130 no. 4 (11–12th centuries); S. Miranda, Titulus SS. IV Coronati (from 14th century until now). The names from 595 until 993 are based on examination of the documents of the Roman councils in: Giandomenico Mansi, Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio, except Leo (844-847, pope Leo IV 847-855), and Stefano (882-885, pope Stephen V 885-891) who are mentioned as cardinals of this title in their biographical entries in The Catholic Encyclopedia [1] [2]
- ^ The fourteenth-century cardinal priests are listed by Conradus Eubel, Hierarchia catholica medii aevi I, editio altera (Monasterii 1913), p. 41.
- ^ David M. Cheyney, Catholic-Hierarchy: Santi Quattro Coronati. Retrieved: 2016-03-15.
- ^ Mansi's text in fact does not name Fortunato: Sacrorum Conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio Tomus X (Florence/Venice: Zatta 1764, pp. 175–178.
- ^ Johannes Dominicus Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio Tomus 14 (Venice: Antonio Zatta 1769), p. 1021: Leo presbyter tituli SS. IV Coronatorum. The title Cardinal does not appear.
- ^ The text, in fact, calls him Theophilacto presbitero tituli sanctorum quattuor coronatorum; there is no mention of the title Cardinal: Monumenta Germaniae Historica, 2 Leges. 4 Constitutiones 01. Constitutiones Acta Publica AD 911–1197 (Hannover: Hahn, 1893), p. 533. In Liutprand of Cremona's De rebus gestis Ottonis Magni Imperatoris (in: J.-P. Migne Patrologiae Latinae Volume 136, p. 903) only the Archpriest and the Archdeacon are called Cardinalis, and the name of the priest tituli sanctorum quattuor coronatorum has dropped out of the text.
- ^ Johannes Dominicus Mansi (ed.), Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio Tomus 19 (Venice: Antonio Zatta 1774), p. 172: Joannes presbyter et cardinalis Ss. quattuor coronatorum consensi. (30 January 993).
- ^ Rudolf Hüls, Kardinäle, Klerus und Kirchen Roms, 1049–1130 (Tubingen: Max Niemeyer 1977), p. 202.
- ^ Hüls, p. 203.
Further reading
- Andreina Draghi, Gli affreschi dell'Aula gotica del Monastero dei Santi Quattro Coronati: una storia ritrovata (Milano: Skira 2006).
- Maria Giulia Barberini, I Santi Quattro Coronati a Roma (Roma: Fratelli Palombi, 1989).
- Bruno Maria Apollonj Ghetti, I Ss. Quattro Coronati (Roma : Marietti, 1964) [Le chiese di Roma illustrate, 81].
- J. de Cederna, La Chiesa e il monastero dei Ss. Quattro Coronati (Roma 1950).
- S Russell Forbes, Church of the Santi Quattro Coronati (No publisher: no place, 1914).
External links
- "Beggar's Rome" - A self-directed virtual tour of SS. Quattro Coronati and other Roman churches
- (in Italian) Giovanni Sicari, Reliquie Insigni e "Corpi Santi" a Roma, Alma Roma, 1998. Through I santi web site.
- "Santi Quattro Coronati" article on Nyborg site.
- The Basilica of the Santi Quattro Coronati
- www.santiquattrocoronati.org, Ss. Quattro Coronati Monastery official website.
- Four Crowned Martyrs - Catholic Encyclopedia article
- Patron Saints: Claudius
- Images
- High-resolution 360° Panoramas and Images of Santi Quattro Coronati | Art Atlas
- Lucentini, M. (31 December 2012). The Rome Guide: Step by Step through History's Greatest City. Interlink. ISBN 9781623710088.
Media related to Santi Quattro Coronati at Wikimedia Commons
Preceded by Santa Pudenziana |
Landmarks of Rome Santi Quattro Coronati |
Succeeded by San Saba, Rome |