The Minor Basilica of St. Lawrence in Damaso (Basilica Minore di San Lorenzo in Damaso) or simply San Lorenzo in Damaso is a parish and titular church in central Rome, Italy that is dedicated to

St. Lawrence Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. " laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roman ...

, deacon and martyr. It is incorporated into the Palazzo della Cancelleria, which enjoys the extraterritoriality of the Holy See.

History

Archaeological evidence suggests the site, like those of many churches in Rome, may have formerly housed a pagan temple. The first documentary evidence of a church at this site is the reference in the synod of Pope Symmachus of AD 499 of a ''Titulus Damasi''. According to tradition, in the AD 380s a basilica church was erected by Pope Damasus I in his own residence. This church is one of many in Rome dedicated to

, including the more ancient and then extra-urban Basilica di San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura, that was rebuilt by the same Pope Damasus I. The original basilica of San Lorenzo in Damaso was demolished by Cardinal Raffaele Riario, a nephew of

Pope Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV ( it, Sisto IV: 21 July 1414 – 12 August 1484), born Francesco della Rovere, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 August 1471 to his death in August 1484. His accomplishments as pope include ...

who commissioned the imposing Renaissance-style Palazzo della Cancelleria (1489–1513). The palace was built of spolia and stone from nearby ancient Roman buildings, including the Colosseum, and enveloped the new basilica of San Lorenzo in Damaso under the right wing; the entrance is located at Number 1, Piazza della Cancelleria, on the right flank of the facade. Grundriss San Lorenzo in Damaso, Rom

The architect of the basilica, like that of the Palace of the Chancellery, is unknown. The design of the Palace has been attributed to Francesco di Giorgio Martini and Baccio Pontelli, while Filippo Titi suggests Donato Bramante and other authors have cited Giuliano da Sangallo and Andrea Bregno. Titi also independently attributed reconstruction of the basilica to Bramante. The last restoration was necessary after a fire damaged the basilica in 1944. The inscriptions in the basilica are valuable illustrations of the history of the Roman Catholic Church, and were collected and published by Vincenzo Forcella. The Cardinal Priest of the ''Titulus S. Laurentii in Damaso'' is

Antonio Rouco Varela Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular male ...

, former Archbishop of Madrid, Spain.

Interior

up''Seated Hippolytus'' at Vatican The interior decoration was begun by commissions of the resident of the Palace, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, in the late 16th century.

Cavaliere d'Arpino Giuseppe Cesari (14 February 1568 – 3 July 1640) was an Italian Mannerist painter, also named Il Giuseppino and called ''Cavaliere d'Arpino'', because he was created ''Cavaliere di Cristo'' by his patron Pope Clement VIII. He was much patroniz ...

painted the walls of the right counter-facade. The main altar hosts the painting of ''Saints and Coronation of St. Mary'' by Federico Zuccari. Below the altar are the relics of

Pope Eutychian Pope Eutychian, also called Eutychianus, was the bishop of Rome from 4 January 275 to his death on 7 December 283. Eutychian's original epitaph was discovered in the catacomb of Callixtus (see Kraus, ''Roma sotterranea'', p. 154 et seq.), b ...

and Pope Damasus I. To the left of the altar is a copy of a statue of '' St. Hippolytus of Rome''; the original is a restored antique statue in the Vatican Library. Tradition holds that

instigated the conversion of

St. Hippolytus Hippolytus of Rome (, ; c. 170 – c. 235 AD) was one of the most important second-third century Christian theologians, whose provenance, identity and corpus remain elusive to scholars and historians. Suggested communities include Rome, Palestin ...

to the Catholic Faith. This copy was commissioned for the basilica by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. Vignola designed the portal. Immediately to the right of the entrance is the memorial to Alessandro Valtrini, a minister of

Pope Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII ( la, Urbanus VIII; it, Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death in July 1644. As po ...

, that

Gian Lorenzo Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, , ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 159828 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor of his ...

designed in 1639. The second vestibule has statues of

St. Francis Xavier Francis Xavier (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; Latin: ''Franciscus Xaverius''; Basque: ''Frantzisko Xabierkoa''; French: ''François Xavier''; Spanish: ''Francisco Javier''; Portuguese: ''Francisco Xavier''; 7 April 15063 December 15 ...

and St. Charles Borromeo by Stefano Maderno.

Chapels

Parione - san Lorenzo in Damaso - Pellegrino Rossi 01262

To the right of the entrance is a chapel designed by Nicola Salvi and commissioned by Cardinal Tommaso Ruffo in the late 18th century. The ceiling is frescoed with ''Glory of San Nicola'' by Corrado Giaquinto, and the altarpiece of ''Virgin with Sts. Philip Neri and Nicolò'' was painted by Sebastiano Conca. To the left of the entrance is the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, which was commissioned by Cardinal Ottoboni and frescoed by

Andrea Casali Andrea Casali (17 November 1705 – 7 September 1784) was an Italian painter of the Rococo period. He was also an art dealer in England. ''Angelica e Medoro'', Bemberg Fondation Toulouse He was born in Civitavecchia in the Papal States and stu ...

. The altarpiece is the ''Last Supper'' by

Vincenzo Berrettini Pietro da Cortona (; 1 November 1596 or 159716 May 1669) was an Italian Baroque painter and architect. Along with his contemporaries and rivals Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini, he was one of the key figures in the emergence of Roman ...

. Inside the basilica, the first chapel to the right of the nave has a 19th-century monument to Prince

Camillo Massimi Camillo Massimo (20 July 1620 – 12 September 1677) was an Italian cardinal in 17th century Rome, best remembered as a major patron of Baroque artists such as Poussin, Lorrain, Velázquez, Duquesnoy, Algardi, Francesco Fontana and Cosi ...

and his wife, by Filippo Gnaccarini and

Pietro Tenerani Pietro Tenerani (11 November 1789 – 16 December 1869) was an Italian sculptor of the Neoclassic style. Biography He was born in Torano, near Carrara. He initially trained with his maternal uncle, the sculptor Pietro Marchetti, and in 18 ...

, respectively. The second chapel to the right has the tomb of Pellegrino Rossi, the last minister of the Papal States under Bl. Pope Pius IX, by

. His murder in 1848 in the adjacent Palace was one of the events that led to the ensconcement of the Pope in the Vatican City and the annexation of the Papal States to the Kingdom of Italy. The first chapel to the left has the tomb and funerary monument of Cardinal Ludovico Trevisan, Patriarch of Aquileia, with a recumbent statue by

Paolo Romano Paolo Romano, also known as Paolo Tuccone and as Paolo di Mariano di Tuccio Taccone was an Italian Renaissance sculptor and goldsmith. He was active by 1451, and probably died by 1470.Getty ULAN Giorgio Vasari in his '' Lives of the Most Exc ...

. The second chapel to the left contains the tomb of Fra Annibal Caro (1566) by Giovanni Antonio Dosio. A chapel near the sacristy has an altarpiece depicting the ''Madonna delle Gioie'' by Nicolò Circignani, denominated "il Pomarancio", and two silver statues of

and St. Damaso by

Ciro Ferri Ciro Ferri (1634 – 13 September 1689) was an Italian Baroque sculptor and painter, the chief pupil and successor of Pietro da Cortona. He was born in Rome, where he began working under Cortona and with a team of artists in the extensive fresc ...

. A further chapel is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of the Agonizing Jesus, and contains a portrait of Pope Leo XIII proclaiming the statutes of the Pious Union of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by the chapel's 19th century architect

Vincenzo De Rossi Re Vincenzo is an Italian male given name, derived from the Latin name Vincentius (the verb ''vincere'' means to win or to conquer). Notable people with the name include: Art *Vincenzo Amato (born 1966), Italian actor and sculptor * Vincenzo Bell ...

. The founding of this fraternity was celebrated in the basilica in 1883. The Chapel of the Santissima Concezione was completed and frescoed (1635-8) by a young

Pietro da Cortona Pietro da Cortona (; 1 November 1596 or 159716 May 1669) was an Italian Baroque painter and architect. Along with his contemporaries and rivals Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini, he was one of the key figures in the emergence of Roman ...

. Other works include the monument of Cardinal Trevisan (1505).

List of Cardinal Protectors

* Joannes (attested 1044) * Leo (c. 1059–c. 1084) * Risus (c. 1105–c. 1116) * Deusdedit (1116–c. 1129)Hüls, p. 179-180, no. 4. * Angelo 1133-1138 * Yves 1138-1143 * Guido Moricotti 1143-1150 * Nikolaus 1150-1151 * Giovanni Paparoni 1151-1158 * Pietro di Miso 1165-1182 * Pedro de Cardona 1182-1183 *

Uberto Allucingoli Uberto Allucingoli was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal and cardinal-nephew of Pope Lucius III, his uncle who ostensibly elevated him with the title of San Lorenzo in Damaso in 1182. Modern scholars consider him a fictitious individual w ...

1183-1185 * Uberti Crivelli ( Pope Urban III) 1185-1187 * Pietro 1188-1190 * Pierre Duacensis 1212-1216 * Pietro Campano 1216-1217 *

Matteo D'Acquasparta Matthew of Aquasparta ( it, Matteo di Aquasparta; 1240 – 29 October 1302) was an Italian Friar Minor and scholastic philosopher. He was elected Minister General of the Order. Life Born in Acquasparta, Umbria, he was a member of the Bentiveng ...

1288-1291 *

Francesco Ronci Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name "Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Francesco * Francesco I (disambiguation), sever ...

1291-1294 * Nicolas L'Aide 1294-1299 *

Arnaud Nouvel Arnaud may refer to: People * Arnaud (given name) or Arnauld (formerly Arnoul), the French form of the German given name Arnold * Arnaud (surname) or Arnauld (formerly Arnoul), the French form of the name Arnold * Arnauld family, a noble Frenc ...

, O. Cist. 25 July 1317 - 17 August 1317 * 20 September 1342 - 21 October 1363 * Pierre de Banac 22 September 1368 - 7 October 1369 * Pietro Corsini 7 June 1370 - 1374 * Bartolomeo da Cogorno 21 December 1381 - 25 December 1381 *

Angelo Acciaioli Angelo Acciaioli may refer to: * Angelo Acciaioli (bishop) (1298–1357), bishop * Angelo Acciaioli (cardinal) (1349–1408), cardinal and archbishop of Patras * Angelo Acciaioli di Cassano (fl. 1467), Italian diplomat See also * Acciaioli The Acc ...

20 November 1385 - 29 August 1397 * Giordano Orsini 25 March 1400 - June 1412; June 1412 - 29 May 1438 * Ludovico Scarampi-Mezzarota Trevisano 1 July 1440 - 7 January 1465 * Raffaele Sansone Riario della Rovere 5 May 1480 - 29 November 1503; 29 November 1503 - 22 June 1517 * Giulio de Medici ( Pope Clement VII) 6 June 1517 - 19 November 1523 * Pompeo Colonna 11 January 1524 - 28 June 1532 *

Ippolito de Medici Ippolito de' Medici (March 1511 – 10 August 1535) was the only son of Giuliano di Lorenzo de' Medici, born out-of-wedlock to his mistress Pacifica Brandano. Biography Ippolito was born in Urbino. His father died when he was only five (1516), an ...

3 July 1532 - 10 August 1535 * Alessandro Farnese 13 August 1535 - 14 April 1564; 14 April 1564 - 12 May 1564; 12 May 1564 - 2 March 1589 * Alessandro Damasceni Peretti 13 March 1589 - 30 March 1620; 30 March 1620 - 2 June 1623 * Ludovico Ludovisi 7 June 1623 - 18 November 1632 * Francesco Barberini 21 November 1632 - 14 November 1644; 14 November 1644 - 10 December 1679 *

Lorenzo Raggi Lorenzo Raggi (1615 – 14 January 1687) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal. Early life Raggi was born in 1615 in Genoa. He was the nephew of Cardinal Ottaviano Raggi; elevated in 1641 by Pope Urban VIII. He was educated in Rome and received a ...

6 February 1679 - 8 January 1680 * Pietro Ottoboni 14 November 1689 - 26 June 1724; 26 June 1724 - 29 January 1725; 29 January 1725 - 29 February 1740 * Tommaso Ruffo 29 August 1740 - 16 February 1753 * Girolamo Colonna di Sciarra 12 March 1753 - 20 September 1756 *

Alberico Archinto Alberico Archinto (8 November 1698 – 30 September 1758) — was an Italian cardinal and papal diplomat. Biography Archinto entered the Roman Curia in 1724. Twelve years later he was ordained to the priesthood, and on 1 November 1739 received ...

20 September 1756 - 30 September 1758 *

Carlo Rezzonico (iuniore) Carlo Rezzonico (25 April 1724 – 26 January 1799) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is sometimes referred to as ''The Younger'' to distinguish him from his uncle Pope Clement XIII who also bore the name ''Carlo Rezzonico''. Bio ...

22 November 1758 - 24 January 1763 * Henry Benedict Mary Clement Stuart of York 14 January 1763 - 13 July 1807 * Francesco Carafa di Trajetto 3 August 1807 - 20 September 1818 * Giulio Maria della Somaglia 2 October 1818 - 2 April 1830 * Tommaso Arezzo 5 July 1830 - 3 July 1833 *

Carlo Maria Pedicini Carlo is a given name. It is an Italian form of Charles. It can refer to: *Carlo (name) *Monte Carlo *Carlingford, New South Wales, a suburb in north-west Sydney, New South Wales, Australia *A satirical song written by Dafydd Iwan about Prince Char ...

19 December 1834 - 19 November 1843 *

Tommaso Bernetti Tommaso Bernetti (29 December 1779 – 21 March 1852) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate and cardinal who served in the Secretariat of State and the Roman Curia during his time in the cardinalate. He came from Fermo and was named a cardinal ...

22 January 1844 - 21 March 1852 *

Luigi Amat di San Filippo e Sorso Luigi Amat di San Filippo e Sorso (20 June 1796 – 30 March 1878) was the dean of the College of Cardinals during the last part of the record long reign of Pope Pius IX. Biography The issue of an ancient and noble Catalan Sardinian family,As f ...

27 September 1852 - 30 March 1878 * Antonio Saverio De Luca 15 July 1878 - 28 December 1883 * Teodolfo Martel 24 March 1884 - 11 July 1899 * Lucido Maria Parocchi 14 December 1899 - 15 January 1903 * Antonio Agliardi 22 June 1903 - 19 March 1915 *

Ottavio Cagiano de Azevedo Ottavio Cagiano de Azevedo (7 November 1845 – 11 July 1927) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Religious from 1913 to 1915, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1905. ...

6 December 1915 - 11 July 1927 *

Andreas Franz Frühwirth Andreas ( el, Ἀνδρέας) is a name usually given to males in Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Denmark, Armenia, Estonia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Finland, Flanders, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, the Netherlands, and Indonesia. The name ...

, OP 19 December 1927 - 9 February 1933 * Tommaso Pio Boggiani, OP 13 March 1933 - 26 February 1942 *

Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini (3 April 1876 – 17 October 1958) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and the founder of the Disciples of the Lord who served as the Apostolic Chancellor from 1954 until his death. He became a cardinal in ...

9 June 1958 - 17 October 1958 * Santiago Luis Copello 14 December 1959 - 9 February 1967 *

Luigi Traglia Luigi Traglia (3 April 1895 – 22 November 1977) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Vicar General of Rome from 1965 to 1968, and Dean of the College of Cardinals from 1974 until his death. Traglia was elevated to ...

28 April 1969 - 15 March 1972 *

Narciso Jubany Arnau Narciso may refer to: Given name * Narciso Clavería y de Palacios, Spanish architect * Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa, Governor General of the Philippines * Narciso dos Santos, Brazilian former footballer * Narciso Durán, Franciscan friar and missio ...

5 March 1973 - 26 December 1996 *

Antonio Maria Rouco Varela Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular male ...

21 February 1998 – present

References

Sources

* Hüls, Rudolf (1977). '' Kardinal, Klerus und Kirchen Roms: 1049–1130'', Tübingen: Max Niemeyer 1977. *

,
A Design for a

Quarantore Forty Hours' Devotion, in Italian called ''Quarant'ore'' or written in one word ''Quarantore'', is a Roman Catholic exercise of devotion in which continuous prayer is made for forty hours before the Blessed Sacrament in solemn exposition. It ofte ...

at San Lorenzo in Damaso'', c. 1632

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lorenzo in Damaso, Rome 4th-century churches 15th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Titular churches Basilica churches in Rome Churches of Rome (rione Parione)