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There was an equal opportunity beheading in the IV century. The powers-that-be back then did not care whether you were a man or a woman, young or old, the only thing mattered was you would lose your head, literally, if they thought you intentionally annoyed them. That was exactly what happened with little Agnes.
At 12 or 13 years of age, Agnes was just a girl who went about her life like all other girls of her age. Then one day, she found herself in the court of Diocletian (Valerius Diocletianus). How she got there, no one knew, but as we learned later, there was somebody in Diocletian’s court who took a fancy to her, and she refused his advance. That was not good, but it became worse when Agnes took the opportunity (not now, Agnes!) to declare herself a Christian.
The declaration didn’t go over well with Diocletian who was actually a pretty decent person in the beginning of his reign, then became a persecutor of the Church when he started listening to Galerius. The Emperor ordered Agnes to strip off her clothes in front of the court. Little did he know, there were miracles in the world, and miraculously, Agnes’ hair grew immediately to cover her naked body.
Diocletian was really furious now -- not to mention embarrassed, and no one should embarrass an Emperor if she treasured her life -- and that’s how Agnes was decapitated in Stadio di Domitianus.
Her body was buried where the church of Sant’Agnese Fuori le Mura is now located, but her head has stayed where the tragic event happened. The Domitian became Piazza Navona. The site of her beheading became the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone. Her head rested in the room to the left, marked by the sign “Sacra Testa di Sant’Agnese”. Leave a Comment |
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The thing about being beheaded is the act doesn't always bring forth a swift death. St. Cecilia experienced that three times. Three strikes and her head still did not leave her neck, this was just as strange as when she did not die after being boiled for one day and one night over a roaring fire. The executioner gave up after the third strike and left her bleeding to death instead. Three days she was laying there in her own blood, and three days she meticulously made all the arrangements of her life. She gave away the last of her assets, she preached to the crowd who gathered around her, and she made the request to Pope Urban to turn her home into a church, which he did.
In 1599, during the restoration of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere Church, Cardinal Sfondrato examined the high altar and found the sarcophagi with the relics of the saints (Cecilia, Valeriano, Tiburzio, and Massimo) and the Popes (Urbano I and Lucio I) just as Pope Pasquale I Bonosus had transported thither.
The beautiful XVI century marble statute beneath the high altar was the creation of Carlo Maderna, depicting St. Cecilia just as she had received the blows from the executioner. Leave a Comment |
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What would you do if the 14 year-old daughter of your new lover said that to you? Would you tell her no, that was outrageous? If that were your answer, you are a much better man than Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee.
At the time the request was made, Herod was married to Herodias, his half-brother’s wife who was also his niece. John the Baptist was his adviser who had publicly condemned this incestuous union and thus, annoyed Herodias a great deal.
Herodias asked Herod to put John in jail, which he did, then she decided that wasn't enough and came up with a better scheme.
She organized a birthday party for her husband and invited all his influential friends. During the feast, she presented her daughter Salome, a great dancer, as the star of the entertainment. Herod was completely charmed by Salome, he promised to give her anything her heart desired including half of his kingdom.
“Well, half a kingdom sounds very nice, great-uncle, um, I mean stepfather, but I would rather have the head of John the Baptist instead. On a silver platter, if you will?”
Herod was taken back for a moment. That was a large order indeed. He thought and thought, then decided to keep the promise. He despatched a soldier to the prison where John the Baptist was held without legal formalities. The soldier came back with a covered platter. The governor gave it to his great-niece/stepdaughter.
Without shudder, Salome accepted the dish and gave it to her mother. Herodias was gleeful. John the Baptist had became a corpse with neither a head nor a voice, thus, no one would be around to condemn her marriage to her uncle any longer.
In the mean time, the party went on; everybody ate, drank, and were merry.
Note: The head of St John the Baptist has been preserved since the XIII century in the church of San Silvestro in Capite, in a reliquary on the left of the entrance.
While you are in the church, don't miss the beautiful and moving Pietà. Leave a Comment |
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Most visitors to Rome never see this church, or even hear of it, for that matter. It's just one of the more than 900 churches in Rome, most of which never get visited.
Yet it is incredibly beautiful and has a wonderful, interesting history. The polished red marble columns alone are enough to make my knees week! The altar and tabernacle by Rainaldi is impossibly, beautifully ornate.
So what and where is this little gem of a church?
Santa Maria della Scala (of the stairs), in Trastevere, the now trendy working-class neighborhood. Trastevere literally means "across the Tevere" or the Tiber River, from the historical center of Rome. The church is not far from the more famous Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Next to the church (on the right as you face it) is a preserved antique pharmacy from the 18th century, which used to service the Vatican.
For more information on the church, the reason for it's creation, and the pharmacy and how to visit it, see:
Farmacia
and
Church
Like many churches in Rome, it is closed between noon and 4 p.m. most days.
An interesting sidelight of this church involves my favorite painter, Caravaggio. He was commissioned to produce a painting for the church; the subject was the death of the virgin. The work was rejected (this happened to Caravaggio a lot, he was always getting in trouble.) In this case, perhaps because the model for the virgin was a prostitute, perhaps because her legs were exposed, or perhaps because her belly was too realistically swollen in death. In any event, the painting now hangs in the Louvre. You can see a copy of it here.
Death of the Virgin
(click on the small painting for an enlargement, then click on "Fit Width" at the top)
Address: 23 Piazza della Scala, Trastevere
Less than 300 meters northwest of Santa Maria in Trastevere, where Via della Scala turns into Piazza della Scala. Leave a Comment |
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Less than a two minute walk from Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the "pilgrim" basilicas, and one of the most famous churches in Rome, stands a smaller jewel of a church - Santa Prassede. Don't miss what may be the best mosaics you'll find in Rome.
The picture I've included is of the apse mosaic behind the main alter. My camera couldn't do justice to the Chapel of St. Zeno, to the right of the altar as you face it. Bring along some .50 euro coins to turn on the lights and be prepared to be delighted. It is literally like stepping inside a jeweled box. The mosaics date from the 9th century and are in the Byzantine style, which is uncommon in Rome. You'll see a resemblance to the mosaics of Santa Cecelia in Trastevere if you go there.
You'll also find a broken marble pillar, said to have been brought back to Rome by St. Helen, the mother of Constantine, the first Christian Roman Emperer. It is supposed to be the pillar at which Jesus was scourged before he was crucified.
The floor, which is 20th century, is still an exquisite version of the Cosmati floors.
If you take a look at the photo, you'll see most of the halos are round - but the one on the far left is square. This indicates that the person being represented wasn't dead at the time the mosaic was being completed.
Address: 9/a Via de Santa Prassede/Via San Martino ai Monti
Normally open daily 07.30-12.00 and 16.00-18.30.
For more information check out:
Santa Prassede Leave a Comment Phone: 06 48 82 456 |
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Even if you have no interest in art, even if you’ve never heard of Caravaggio, pay a visit to this church and the famous Contarelli Chapel (the first chapel on the left closest to the altar). If you’re near Piazza Navona, you’re less than 5 minutes away. Bring some coins with you to turn on the timed lights for the chapel.
The photo is of one of the three famous Caravaggio masterpieces – paintings on the life of St. Matthew, which marked a turning point in his career. This is the “Calling of St. Matthew” and shows the masterful technique for which Caravaggio is so famous – the use of light and dark – which so many followers imitated. Note the dark void between Christ (with the halo) and St. Peter, and Matthew the tax collector and his colleagues. And see how the dramatically lit hand of Christ visually and metaphorically crosses the void as he calls Matthew, and Matthew seems to say, “Who, me?”
The earliest of the three paintings is the one on the right, “The Martyrdom of St. Matthew”. The last was the altar piece "The Inspiration of St. Matthew." Matthew, one of the four gospel writers, as was customary, is pictured with an angel, just as Luke is usually pictured with an ox, John with an Eagle and Mark with a lion.
See this website for better reproductions of these and other works of Caravaggio.
http://www.wga.hu/index1.html<br />
Near the chapel, the church has placed a small display and explanation of the paintings in French, Italian and English.
The church (facade designed by Giacomo della Porta) is dedicated to St. Louis IX, king and patron saint of France, who lead the crusades. But the facade isn't stylistically representative of della Porta. It is relatively austere and static compared to Il Gesu'. One of my knowledgeable friends wonders if the French commission required something more sedate.
Address: 5 Piazza San Luigi dei Francesi / Via Santa Giovanna d'Arco. Between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to noon - 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. Leave a Comment Phone: 06-688-271 |
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In the swanky area of Via Venetto, just off Piazza Barberini, is a little church, Santa Maria della Concezione that would not be distinguishable from the hundreds of Roman churches if it wasn’t for its crypt. What’s special about that? All the ornaments are made with bones of deceased monks of the capuchins order. It is at the same time horrific, beautiful, funny and thought-provoking. It seems like the main goal of the “decorator” and the capuchins was to display Men’s Vanity. The entrance is free but a donation is appreciated. Leave a Comment |
UPDATE: Jan 2005 - open again after being closed for a year.
The slightly bizarre Capuchin Crypt in Santa Maria della Concezione, is located on Via Veneto, near Piazza Barberini. It's definitely worth a visit. Seven rooms deocorated with mosaics, designs, even lanterns hanging from the ceiling, made from thousands of the brothers' bones.
Yes, really their actual bones! Piles and piles of them. Rosettes made of hip bones and vertebrae. Arches made of skulls.
It's fascinating and creepy at the same time.
Most kids LOVE this place. Leave a Comment Phone: 06 - 487-1185Other Contact: Address: Via Vittorio Veneto, 27 |
Up on the Aventine hill above the forum, there is a nice walk to do… first visit the church of Sant' Anselmo with its lovely courtyard. Pass the Santa Sabina Church. Soon, you will see a building with a green door. This is the retreat of the Knights of Malta . The door is seldom open but you will surely notice some people peeping through a hole. They are not being too curious or impolite, they are just having one of Rome’s best view of St-Peter’s. I won’t say much about it, you’ll have to discover for yourself but to me, it’s one of Rome’s little treasure. Leave a Comment |
The Basilica San Giovanni is here - the first seat of the Pope and the site of the huge sculptures of the 12 apostles. Here also you will find the Shrine of the Holy Stairs - Santa Scala - and one of the oldest images of Christ - given the name of Acheropita because, according to legend, it was miraculously painted without human intervention. It is the Christian custom to climb the Holy Stairs on ones knees and you can expect to see pilgrims ascending the stairs if you visit. There was, for me, an unmistakable aura of reverence and sanctity inside this shrine. Phone: 06 7726641 Passionist Missionary |
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