(025) Santo Stefano Rotondo al Celio St. Stephen in the Round on the Celian Hill Santo Stefano Rotondo al Celio is the Hungarian national church dedicated to St Stephen of Hungary and St Stephen the Deacon History: The building was originally either the ancient Temple of Gaunus, or the deified Claudius. It is one of the earliest instances in Rome of the transformation of a pagan temple into a Christian church. The first church was consecrated in the time of Pope St Simplicius I (468-483), or possibly in 460, to hold the relics of St Stephen, protomartyr of the Church. His tomb had been discovered at Kafr Gamala in the Holy Land in 415. It was later rededicated to St Stephen, King of Hungary. This was the first circular church in Rome, and it was modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The circumference and diameter of Santo Stefano is almost exactly the same as those of the Holy Sepulchre. Strangely, the church does not appear among the tituli in the synod list of 499. It is thought that it may have been financed by the wealthy Valerian family, whose estates covered large parts of the Coelian Hill. St Melanie, a member of this family, was a frequent pilgrim to Jerusalem and died there, so the family had connections to the Holy Land. The site housed the Castra Peregrinorum, a large army barracks with an ancient pagan sanctuary to Mithras, a deity that was very popular among soldiers. A gold-covered head from a statue of Mithras was found during excavations beneath the church. It was decorated by Pope John I (523-526) and Pope Felix IV (526-530) with precious marbles and with costly materials, but all of this rich adornment has long since disappeared. (025) In 649 P. Theodore I (642-649) had the relics of SS. Primus and Felician brought from the catacombs and placed in the porch which was then turned into an apse. This was the first example of the translation of relics within the city walls. In 795 the church was restored by P. Adrian I (772-795). The colonnades were altered by Pope Innocent II (1130-1143), when a series of transverse arches were introduced to support the roof. It was restored and modified by Pope Nicholas V in 1453. The outer ring was demolished together with three arms of the Greek cross. The work was carried out by Bernardo Rosselino. Around the same time, it was granted to the "Hungarian Order of Hermits of St Paul". In 1580, the church was entrusted to the Jesuits. By order of P. Gregory XIII (1572-1588) frescoes depicting the tortures of the times of persecution were painted. Jesuit seminarians were encouraged to go here to see the frescoes of martyrs (see below) and contemplate over the fate that might await them as they went off as missionaries. The church is the property of the German College, and is also the Hungarian national church. It was made part of the Hungarian College in 1589, and this college later merged with the German College. In 1952 the whole edifice was reported to be unsafe and the church was closed. In 1962 the fabric of the church was restored and the frescoes repaired as they were much damaged by dampness. Exterior: Although the inside is circular, the exterior is on a cruciform plan. The church is approached through a small courtyard and the portico is supported by four columns. Interior: The church originally had three concentric ambulatories intersected by four naves in a Greek cross, but the outermost has been suppressed. The plan is somewhat confusing. In Jerusalem, it makes sense as it allows a good circulation of pilgrims around the sanctuary. Copying this plan to Rome seems strange in the present day, since there is nothing in the sanctuary to attract pilgrims. However, tradition claims that an important relic was once held here, and it is possible that it was a relic of St Stephen the Deacon. Inside a hugh circular space is bounded by 22 Ionic columns of granite, all taken from older monuments. The timber ceiling is flat and rests on three very wide arches which rise from two pilasters and from two immense Corinthian columns standing in the middle. Around this first circle is another larger on of 36 granit columns with interesting capitals. The columns are mostly spolia but the capitals of many carry a pulvin above the abaxus, which is a sigh of eastern influence. The colonnades of the outermost ambulatory, with 22 Ionic columns, are decorated with frescoes from 1572-1585 of The Agonies of Martyrs, by Niccolò Pomerancio and Antonio Tempesta. The frescoes were ordered by Pope Gregory XIII (1572-1585). The 24 scenes, with inscriptions explaining the scene and naming the emperors who ordered the executions, as well as quotations from the Bible, contain terrifying depictions of suffering. Visitors like Charles Dickens, expressed horror at the spectacle in this church. For others, they are a good aid in understanding the sufferings of the martyr and the great sacrifices they made for the Faith. (025) The altar was made by the Florentine artist Bernardo Rossellino, who was commissioned by Pope Nicholas V (1447-1455) - as mentioned above he also carried out restorations at the time. The painting in the apse shows Christ between two martyrs. The mosaic and marble decoration is from the period 523 to 530. One mosaic shows the martyrs Primus and Felician flanking a jewelled cross. They were martyred in 305, and their relics were brought here by Pope Theodore I. On the left is a tablet recording the burial here of the Irish king Donough O'Brien of Cashel and Thomond, son of Brian (Boru) Bóruma, who died in Rome in 1064. In a side chapel is an ancient chair in which Pope Gregory the Great sat to deliver one of his homilies, in c. 580, is preserved here. To the left by the entrance is the Chapel of Sts Primus and Felician. The chapel was commissioned by Pope Theodore I (642-649). The saints are depicted in a 7th century mosaic, and there are also frescoes depicting their martyrdom and burial. This is one of the rare examples of 7th century mosaic in Rome; another is found in the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Laterano. Legend says that they were brothers from a patrician family, who visited Christians who were waiting for execution in the Roman prisons. Seeing the tortures they suffered, Felician heard that his brother, at the time some 80 years old, had lapsed from the Faith. But he returned, and they were thrown to the lions together. At the arena, they were miraculously saved, and were taken to Nomentum where they were beheaded and buried. Pope Theodore had their relics translated here. P. Urban VIII (1623+1644) caused the Saints' relics to be enclosed in a new and recher shrine and replaced them under the altar. The Pope's father, a Greek bishop from Palestine with the same name, was also buried here. The only other chapel is dedicated to St. Stephen, King of Hungary. Special notes: The church is normally locked, but you may ring for a custodian who usually lets visitors in. The best time to try is between 09.00 and 12.00. The feast of St Stephen the Deacon is celebrated on 26 December, and this is the station church for that day, meaning that the Holy Father will usually celebrate Mass here. The feast of St Stephen of Hungary is celebrated with great solemnity on 16 August. Artists and Architects: Antonio Tempesta (1555-1630), Italian painter and engraver Bernardo Rosselino (1409-1464), Italian sculptor and architect Niccolò Circignani aka Il Pomarancio (1520-1597), Italian late-Renaissance / Mannerist painter Relics: Sts Primus and Felician Burials: Theodore, Bishop from Palestine (7th century) <father of Pope Theodore I> Francesco Cardinal TIBERI, (1773-1839) (025) Donough O'Brien of Cashel (d.1064) <11th century Irish king> Thomond, son of Brian (Boru) Bóruma (d.1064) <11th century Irish prince> Location: Addr: Via di Santo Stefano Rotondo, 7 Coord: 41°53'4"N 12°29'48"E Info: Telephone: 0039 06 421199 Email: [email protected] Opening times: Winter: Monday to Saturday 09:30am-12:30pm 02:00pm-05:00pm Sunday 09:30am-12:30pm Closed Monday Summer: Monday to Saturday 09:30am-12:30pm 03:00pm-06:00pm Sunday 09:30am-12:30pm Closed Monday To visit the church please book at number 06 421199 Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Stefano_Rotondo http://romanchurches.wikia.com/wiki/Santo_Stefano_Rotondo_al_Celio http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.romecity.it/Santostefanorotondo.h tm http://www.archeoroma.com/Celio/santo_stefano_rotondo.htm http://www.pnac.org/station_churches/church_days/wk5d6.htm http://www.info.roma.it/associazione_eventi.asp?ID_evento=25 Refs: Gregorovius, Ferdinand; HISTORY OF THE CITY OF ROME IN THE MIDDLE AGES, Vol 1, pg 259 Sharp, Mary; A GUIDE TO THE CHURCHES OF ROME; 1966; pg 206 Webb, Matilda: THE CHURCHES AND CATACOMBS OF EARLY CHRISTIAN ROME; 2001; pg 96 .