The Church of Saint Susanna at the Baths of Diocletian ( it, Chiesa di Santa Susanna alle Terme di Diocleziano) is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

located on the

Quirinal Hill The Quirinal Hill (; la, Collis Quirinalis; it, Quirinale ) is one of the Seven Hills of Rome, at the north-east of the city center. It is the location of the official residence of the Italian head of state, who resides in the Quirinal Palace ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Italy. There has been a

titular church In the Catholic Church, a titular church is a church in Rome that is assigned to a member of the clergy who is created a cardinal. These are Catholic churches in the city, within the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Rome, that serve as honorary de ...

associated to its site as far back as AD 280. The current church was rebuilt from 1585 to 1603 for a monastery of

Cistercian nuns Cistercian nuns are female members of the Cistercian Order, a religious order belonging to the Roman Catholic branch of the Catholic Church. History The first Cistercian monastery for women, Le Tart Abbey, was established at Tart-l'Abbaye in t ...

founded on the site in 1587, which still exists there. The church served as the

national parish National parish is a type of Catholic parish distinguished by liturgical rites or nationality of the congregation; it is found within a diocese or particular Church, which includes other types of parishes in the same geographical area, each parish ...

for residents of Rome from the United States from 1921 to 2017, during which period it was assigned to the care of the

Paulist Fathers The Paulist Fathers, officially named the Missionary Society of Saint Paul the Apostle ( la, Societas Sacerdotum Missionariorum a Sancto Paulo Apostolo), abbreviated CSP, is a Catholic society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right for men founded ...

, a society of priests founded in the United States. The Paulist Fathers' ministry to United States Catholics subsequently moved to

San Patrizio San Patrizio a Villa Ludovisi is a Roman Catholic parish, titular church, and national church of the United States in Rome. History It was the national churches of Ireland until 2017 when it became the national church of the United States of Amer ...

(Saint Patrick).

Architectural history

Roman era

About AD 280, an early Christian house of worship was established on this site, which, like many of the earliest Christian meeting places, was in a house (''domus ecclesiae''). According to the 6th-century ''

acta Acta or ACTA may refer to: Institutions * Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, an intellectual property trade agreement * Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments, a standards organization for terminal equipment such as registered jacks * A ...

'' of Susanna, the ''

domus In Ancient Rome, the ''domus'' (plural ''domūs'', genitive ''domūs'' or ''domī'') was the type of town house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. It was found in almost all the ma ...

'' belonged to two brothers named Caius and

Gabinus Saint Gabinus (commonly anglicized as Saint Gavin or Saint Gabin) is the title given to two personages. *Saint Gabinus, who died as a martyr at Porto Torres, Sardinia, Italy (the ancient Turris) sometime in the second century under Emperor Hadrian ...

, prominent Christians. Caius has been identified both with

Pope Caius Pope Caius (died 22 April 296), also called Gaius, was the bishop of Rome from 17 December 283 to his death in 296. Little information on Caius is available except that given by the ''Liber Pontificalis'', which relies on a legendary account of t ...

and with Caius the presbyter, who was a

prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect's ...

and who is a source of information on early Christianity. Gabinus or Gabinius is the name given to the father of the semi-legendary Susanna of Rome. Her earliest documented attestations identify her as the patron of the church, not as a martyr, and previously the church was identified in the earliest, fourth-century documents by its title "of Gaius" by the

Baths of Diocletian , alternate_name = it, Terme di Diocleziano , image = Baths of Diocletian-Antmoose1.jpg , caption = Baths of Diocletian, with the basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri built in the remains of the baths. , map_dot_ ...

or as "''ad duas domos''" ("near the two houses"). It is mentioned in connection with a Roman synod of 499. The Church of Santa Susanna is one of the oldest titles in the city of Rome. The early Christian church, built on the remains of three Roman villas still visible beneath the monastery, was situated immediately outside the wall of the Baths built by Diocletian and the

Servian Wall The Servian Wall ( la, Murus Servii Tullii; it, Mura Serviane) was an ancient Roman defensive barrier constructed around the city of Rome in the early 4th century BC. The wall was built of volcanic tuff and was up to in height in places, wide ...

, the first walls built to defend the city. According to tradition, the church was erected on Susanna's house, where she was martyred. In the 4th century it was marked with the designation ''ad duas domos'' (at the two houses). This first three-aisled basilica was almost certainly built under the pontificate of

Pope Leo III Pope Leo III (died 12 June 816) was bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 26 December 795 to his death. Protected by Charlemagne from the supporters of his predecessor, Adrian I, Leo subsequently strengthened Charlemagne's position b ...

(795–816). According to tradition, the structure became a church around 330, under Emperor

Constantine I Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...

, when the

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...

s of numerous house churches came to be adapted for liturgical use. The basilica was T-shaped with a central nave with twelve columns on each side, flanked by side aisles. All that is left of these two side aisles, after the late 16th-century rebuilding, are the two side chapels of the basilica church. In the Synod of 565, the church is first referred to by the title of Susanna; the church has been dedicated to her veneration ever since. In the ''acta'', Susanna is martyred with her family when the girl refuses to marry the son of Emperor

Diocletian Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...

; the occasion of Susanna's martyrdom is a literary

trope Trope or tropes may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Trope (cinema), a cinematic convention for conveying a concept * Trope (literature), a figure of speech or common literary device * Trope (music), any of a variety of different things ...

that is familiar in other "passions" of

virgin Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...

s in the

Roman Martyrology The ''Roman Martyrology'' ( la, Martyrologium Romanum) is the official martyrology of the Catholic Church. Its use is obligatory in matters regarding the Roman Rite liturgy, but dioceses, countries and religious institutes may add duly approved ...

Pope Sergius I Pope Sergius I (8 September 701) was the bishop of Rome from 15 December 687 to his death, and is revered as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. He was elected at a time when two rivals, Paschal and Theodore, were locked in dispute about wh ...

restored it at the end of the 7th century, but

, the fourth pope who had been pastor of this church, rebuilt it from the ground in 796, adding the great

apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...

and conserving the relics of the saints in the crypt. A vast mosaic of Christ flanked by Leo and the Emperor

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

, and Saints Susanna and Felicity on the other side, was so badly damaged in the 12th century by an earthquake that the interior was plastered over in the complete renovation that spanned the years 1585–1602, and frescoed by Cesare Nebbia. A façade, in travertine, remained to be constructed. The present church of Santa Susanna on its ancient foundations was the first independent commission in Rome for Carlo Maderno, who had trained as an assistant to his uncle

Domenico Fontana Domenico Fontana (154328 June 1607) was an Italian architect of the late Renaissance, born in today's Ticino. He worked primarily in Italy, at Rome and Naples. Biography He was born at Melide, a village on the Lake Lugano, at that time joint p ...

, the chief architect of Pope Sixtus V. In 1603, Maderno completed the façade, a highly influential early Baroque design. The dynamic rhythm of columns and pilasters, crowding centrally, and the protrusion and increased central decoration add further complexity to the structure. There is an interplay of relationships, none exactly symmetric on any one mirror side. The entrance and roof are surrounded by triangular pediments. The windows are replaced by niches. There is an incipient playfulness with the rules of classic design, still maintaining rigor. The statues of the higher level (

and

Genesius of Rome Genesius of Rome is a Legendary material in Christian hagiography, legendary Christian saint, once a comedian and actor who had performed in plays that mocked Christianity. According to legend, while performing in a play that made fun of baptism, ...

) are by Giovanni Antonio Paracea, those of the lower level (Susanna and

Felicitas of Rome Felicitas of Rome (c. 101 – 165), also anglicized as is a saint numbered among the Christian martyrs. Apart from her name, the only thing known for certain about this martyr is that she was buried in the Cemetery of Maximus, on the Via Sal ...

) are by

Stefano Maderno Stefano Maderno (''c.'' 1576 – 17 September 1636) was one of the greatest Roman sculptors of the early 17th century. Biography Information about Maderno's life is scarce and often contradictory. He was long supposed to have been a brothe ...

. The church of Santa Susanna was accounted so successful that in 1605

Pope Paul V Pope Paul V ( la, Paulus V; it, Paolo V) (17 September 1550 – 28 January 1621), born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his death in January 1621. In 1611, he honored ...

named Maderno architect of Saint Peter's Basilica, where he completed the nave and constructed the great façade.

Modern era

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 ...

(1475–1477) proceeded to rebuild the church, probably a single nave with two side chapels. In 1588 it became the last great rebuilding effort of Cardinal

Girolamo Rusticucci Girolamo Rusticucci (1537 – 14 June 1603) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and bishop. He was personal secretary to Cardinal Michele Ghislieri, later Pope Pius V, who made Rusticucci a cardinal. He occupied numerous important positions, ...

, Cardinal protector of the

Cistercian Order The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint B ...

, with construction running from 1595 to 1603. One of the objectives pursued with greater commitment from Rusticucci as the

vicar general A vicar general (previously, archdeacon) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority and possesses the title of local ordinary. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ...

Pope Sixtus V Pope Sixtus V ( it, Sisto V; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order ...

was to renew the life of the religious orders. A reflection of that action can be seen in a figurative program decorating the walls of the church. The main themes are: defense of chastity against corruption of morals and the victory of the true faith over any temptation to idolatry and heresy. They were joined by the exaltation of the virginal choice of Susanna and her prayerful attitude. Rusticucci wanted to highlight and connect these themes to the inseparable bond that his church had with the Cistercian nuns whose monastery occupied the site. Rusticucci, a lover of "tradition", chose from the best of that time, which came from the fruitful artistic outpouring from the

Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also called the Catholic Reformation () or the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to the Protestant Reformation. It began with the Council of Trent (1545–1563) a ...

. Consequently, he gave the assignment to

Carlo Maderno Carlo Maderno (Maderna) (1556 – 30 January 1629) was an Italian architect, born in today's Ticino, who is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. His façades of Santa Susanna, St. Peter's Basilica and Sant'Andrea della Valle ...

(1556–1629) for architectural renovations made to the church. It was he who was the designer of its

travertine Travertine ( ) is a form of terrestrial limestone deposited around mineral springs, especially hot springs. It often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-colored, and even rusty varieties. It is formed by a pro ...

facade. The frescoes of the central hall (six scenes from the life of the chaste Susanna) are by

Baldassare Croce Baldassare Croce (Bologna, 1558–November 8, 1628) was an Italian painter, active during the late-Mannerist period, active mainly in and around Rome. Biography He trained in Bologna, and moved to Rome by 1581. Known as a prolific academic paint ...

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

(1563-1638). To

Cesare Nebbia Cesare Nebbia (c.1536–c.1614) was an Italian painter from Orvieto who painted in a Mannerism, Mannerist style. Biography Nebbia was born in Orvieto. He trained with Girolamo Muziano, and under this master, he helped complete a flurry of de ...

, a native of

Orvieto Orvieto () is a city and ''comune'' in the Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy, situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff. The city rises dramatically above the almost-vertical faces of tuff cliffs that are compl ...

(1536–1614), can be attributed the frescoes in the dome and apse curve in which are reproduced some scenes from the life of Susanna. The

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...

of the

high altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paganis ...

, depicting the beheading of Susanna, is by

Tommaso Laureti Tommaso Laureti, often called Tommaso Laureti Siciliano (c. 1530 — 22 September 1602), was an Italian painter from Sicily who trained in the atelier of the aged Sebastiano del Piombo and worked in Bologna. From 1582, he worked for papal patrons ...

Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...

(1530–1602). Camilla Peretti, sister of Pope Sixtus, was a great benefactor of the Cistercian nuns, and helped build their residential quarters, including the Chapel of St Lawrence whose frescoes are the work of Giovan Battista Pozzo (1563-1591). The painting of the altar depicting the martyrdom of the holy

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...

is also by Nebbia. Large statues of the major prophets and two of

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

and

Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

are attributed to Giovanni Antonio Paracea, called Valsoldo. Through the glass floor of the

sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is usually located ...

can be seen part of the early Christian Church and the remains of the Roman house, which is said to be the home of the father of Susanna. A Roman sarcophagus with fragments of painted plaster was discovered in modern times. The excavations also unearthed a tympanum depicting the

Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...

on a blue background and flanked by

John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

and

John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( grc-gre, Ἰωάννης, Iōánnēs; Aramaic: ܝܘܚܢܢ; Ge'ez: ዮሐንስ; ar, يوحنا الإنجيلي, la, Ioannes, he, יוחנן cop, ⲓⲱⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ or ⲓⲱ̅ⲁ) is the name traditionally given t ...

; a Madonna and child between Agatha and Susanna; plus five beautiful busts of other saints. Behind the

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. Ove ...

, separated by an iron grating, is located the splendid monastic choir, a large rectangular room. It was built in 1596 by Rusticucci, as attested by the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

in the center of the choir's rich, carved wooden-coffered floor. The

choir stall A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which houses the altar and Church tab ...

s were donated by Pope Sixtus and are repeatedly mentioned in the old guides as one of the finest choirs existent in Roman monasteries. The walls are adorned with frescoes depicting saints and scenes from the

Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...

. The artist who created these paintings was Francesco Di (1676–1702). Also in the choir, in the four branches of the two niches that preserve the

reliquaries A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', by the French term ''châsse'', and historically including '' phylacteries'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary may be called a ''fereter'', and a chapel in which it is housed a ''fer ...

, appear

Benedict of Nurcia Benedict of Nursia ( la, Benedictus Nursiae; it, Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March AD 480 – 21 March AD 548) was an Christianity in Italy, Italian Christian monk, writer, and theologian who is venerated in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Ortho ...

and

Scholastica Scholastica (c. 480 – 10 February 543) is a saint of the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Anglican Communion. She was born in Italy. According to a ninth century tradition, she was the twin sister of Benedict of Nursia. ...

(left) and

Bernard of Clairvaux Bernard of Clairvaux, O. Cist. ( la, Bernardus Claraevallensis; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templars, and a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order through ...

and Susanna (on the right), all by the

Umbria it, Umbro (man) it, Umbra (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , ...

n painter

Avanzino Nucci Avanzino Nucci (c. 1552–1629) was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance period. Biography He was born in Gubbio and died in Rome. He trained with Niccolò Circignani (il Pomarancio). Bernardino Gagliardi was one of his pupils. His paintin ...

(1599). In 1719, Filippo Fregiotti painted the frescoes in a chapel inside the enclosure. St. Susanna Church in

Dedham, Massachusetts Dedham ( ) is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 25,364 at the 2020 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest b ...

was named by Cardinal

Richard Cushing Richard James Cushing (August 24, 1895 – November 2, 1970) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1944 to 1970 and was made a cardinal in 1958. Cushing's main role was as fundraiser and builder ...

for Santa Susanna.

Interior

The church consists of a single nave, with a circular apse forming two side-chapels. The frescoes of the central nave by

represent six scenes from the life of Susanna found in the Book of Daniel. The frescoes on the curved side of the apse show Susanna being threatened by

Maximian Maximian ( la, Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus; c. 250 – c. July 310), nicknamed ''Herculius'', was Roman emperor from 286 to 305. He was ''Caesar'' from 285 to 286, then ''Augustus'' from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his ...

, but defended by the angel of God, and to the right, Susanna refusing to worship the idol

Jupiter Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but ...

. Nebbia's frescoes on the dome of the apse depict Susanna flanked on either side by angels with musical instruments. Behind the high altar, the painting depicting the beheading of Susanna is by

Chapel of our Lady of Graces

The chapel of our Lady of Graces (whose painting was formerly on the altar) has on its walls two recent frescoes of Benedict of Nursia and Bernard of Clairvaux.

Chapel of Saint Lawrence

constructed the second side-chapel to the left, dedicated to

Saint Lawrence Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. "Laurel wreath, 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 Christians, perse ...

and commissioned by

Camilla Peretti Pope Sixtus V ( it, Sisto V; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order ...

, sister of

. The paintings are by the Milanese artist Giovanni Battista Pozzo (1563–1591). The altar painting by Cesare Nebbia depicts the martyrdom of St. Lawrence. In this chapel are venerated

, patron of actors, in the act of receiving baptism, and the bishop

Pope Eleuterus Pope Eleutherius (died 24 May 189), also known as Eleutherus, was the bishop of Rome from c. 174 to his death. His pontificate is alternatively dated to 171-185 or 177-193. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. He is linked to a numbe ...

Presbytery

The presbytery is decorated with two frescoes. To the left,

depicts the martyrdom of

, while to the right,

Paris Nogari Paris Nogari (c. 1536–1601) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, a minor pupil of Cesare Nebbia active mainly in Rome. He painted in the library of the Vatican in a style resembling Raffaellino da Reggio and was among the painters w ...

shows the martyrdom of

and her seven sons.

Ceiling

The valuable ceiling of the nave and of the presbytery is made in polychromed gilt wood, carved to the design of Carlo Maderno.

Religious associations

* Entombed in the church are five early church martyrs and saints: Susanna, her father Gabinus,

, and

. * The commemoration of Saint Susanna has long been linked in the Roman calendar with

Saint Tiburtius Saint Tiburtius, according to Christian legend, was a Christian martyr. His feast day is 11 August which is the same as Saint Susanna. These saints were not related, but are sometimes associated because they are venerated on the same day. Hagiog ...

, 11 August. * Among the previous

cardinal priest A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

s of Santa Susanna was

Pope Nicholas V Pope Nicholas V ( la, Nicholaus V; it, Niccolò V; 13 November 1397 – 24 March 1455), born Tommaso Parentucelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 March 1447 until his death in March 1455. Pope Eugene IV, Po ...

(1446).

American national church

After

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the

, founded in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

in 1858, had grown to such an extent that they felt the time had come to seek approval of their

religious institute A religious institute is a type of institute of consecrated life in the Catholic Church whose members take religious vows and lead a life in community with fellow members. Religious institutes are one of the two types of institutes of consecrate ...

from the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

, in order to be able to work throughout the worldwide Catholic Church. They also wanted to establish a

procurator Procurator (with procuracy or procuratorate referring to the office itself) may refer to: * Procurator, one engaged in procuration, the action of taking care of, hence management, stewardship, agency * ''Procurator'' (Ancient Rome), the title of ...

general there to coordinate their work with the Vatican. To this end, the

Superior General A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of a religious institute in the Catholic Church and some other Christian denominations. The superior general usually holds supreme executive authority in the religious community, while t ...

of the Society, Thomas Burke, went to Rome in January 1921 to meet with

Pope Benedict XV Pope Benedict XV (Latin: ''Benedictus XV''; it, Benedetto XV), born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, name=, group= (; 21 November 185422 January 1922), was head of the Catholic Church from 1914 until his death in January 1922. His ...

for this. During this trip, they first noticed Santa Susanna, as it was adjacent to the American Embassy to Italy at the time. Its location made it of interest to the Americans.The Church of Santa Susanna "Our History: The American Parish"
The Paulists opened the office of the Procurator General in the city that following spring, headed by Thomas Lantry O'Neill. In the meantime, Burke's brother, also a member of the Society, had approached President

Warren Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular sitting U.S. presidents. ...

to make him aware of their interest in making use of the church to serve the growing American population of Rome. Harding made a request for this to the

Apostolic Delegate An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international o ...

to the United States, Archbishop

Giovanni Bonzano Giovanni Vincenzo Cardinal Bonzano PIME (27 September 1867 – 26 November 1927) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Nunciature of the Holy See in Washington DC, Apostolic Delegate to Uni ...

, during the course of a meeting in June. Bonzano transmitted the request to the

Vatican Secretary of State The Secretary of State of His Holiness (Latin: Secretarius Status Sanctitatis Suae, it, Segretario di Stato di Sua Santità), commonly known as the Cardinal Secretary of State, presides over the Holy See's Secretariat of State, which is the ...

, with the recommendation that it be granted as a gesture of good will to the United States. In December 1921,

authorized the

to administer Santa Susanna as the national church in Rome for the American residents of Rome and visitors from the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

. The

abbess An abbess (Latin: ''abbatissa''), also known as a mother superior, is the female superior of a community of Catholic nuns in an abbey. Description In the Catholic Church (both the Latin Church and Eastern Catholic), Eastern Orthodox, Coptic ...

of the monastery gave the keys to the church to the new pastor on 1 January 1922. Cardinal

William Henry O'Connell William Henry O'Connell (December 8, 1859 – April 22, 1944) was an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1907 until his death in 1944, and was made a cardinal in 1911. Early life William O'Connell wa ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

presided at the first public

Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...

for the American community of the city on 26 February 1922. The cardinal who held the title to the church had died during the summer of 1921, leaving the church with no legal owner under Italian law. At the same time, electrical lights were installed in the church, to which Americans were accustomed but Roman people found shocking. The Ambassador of Romania also claimed the church as a national church for the people of his country. The ownership issue settled at the end of 1924, when Bonzano, the former Apostolic Nuncio and by then a cardinal himself, requested a transfer of his title to this church. Once that was accomplished, he appointed O'Neill as the

rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

of the parish. From 1958 to 1985, the cardinal assigned to Santa Susanna as his titular church has been the

Archbishop of Boston The Archdiocese of Boston ( la, Archidiœcesis Bostoniensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in the New England region of the United States. Its territorial remit encompasses the whole of ...

Bernard Francis Law Bernard Francis Law (November 4, 1931 – December 20, 2017) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, known largely for covering up the serial rape of children by Catholic priests. He served as Archbishop of Boston, archpr ...

remained the titular cardinal until his December 2017 death, though he resigned as archbishop in 2002 in the wake of the sexual abuse scandal in his archdiocese. Since August 2017, following a campaign by the Cistercian nuns who had maintained a presence at Santa Susanna since 1587, the American expatriate community relocated its national church to

Cardinal Priests of Santa Susanna since 494

List of the cardinal titulars of the church * Asello (494–?) * Rusticus (590–?) * Conone (

Pope Conon Pope Conon (died 21 September 687) was the bishop of Rome from 21 October 686 to his death. He had been put forward as a compromise candidate, there being a conflict between the two factions resident in Rome — the military and the clerical. He ...

) (683?–686) * Sergius (

) (683?–687) * Johanes (745 – before 761) * Leontius (761 – before 796) * Leo (

) (795) * Johannes (964 – before 1012) * Johannes (before 1012 – before 1033) * Johannes (1033 – before 1062) * Petrus (1062 – before 1099) * Pietro Gheradesca di Donoratico (1099–1106) * Gezo (1106 – c. 1112) * Pietro Gherardeschi (1117–1130); pseudocardinal of

Antipope Anacletus II Anacletus II (died January 25, 1138), born Pietro Pierleoni, was an antipope who ruled in opposition to Pope Innocent II from 1130 until his death in 1138. After the death of Pope Honorius II, the college of cardinals was divided over his succ ...

* Stanzio (1130–1133) *

Giordano Bobone Orsini Jordan (Italian: ''Giordano Bobone Orsini''; died after 1154) was a Carthusian monk, created Cardinal Deacon by Pope Lucius II in December 1144 and then Cardinal Priest of Santa Susanna by Eugene III on 21 December 1145.J. M. Brixius, ''Die Mitglie ...

(1145–1165) * Ermanno, called il Maestro (1165 or 1166 – c. 1170) * Lesbio Grassi (1170–1173) * Pietro de Bono (1173–1187) * Alessio (1188–1189) * Giovani Felice (1190–1194) * Bendetto (1201–1212) * Aldobrandino Gaetani (or Ildebrando) (1219–1221) * Geoffroy Barbeau (or de Barro) (1281–1287) * Benedetto Caetani (1288–1294) * Pierre d'Arrablay (or Arabloy) (1316–1328) * Andrea Ghini Malpighi (Andrea Ghilini) (1342–1343) * Pierre Bertrand (or du Colombier) (1344–1361) * Filippo Ruffini (or Gezza) (1378–1386) *

Francesco Carbone Tomacelli Francesco Carbone Tomacelli (died 18 June 1405) was Italian cardinal at the time of the Great Western Schism. He was nephew (possibly adopted) of Pope Boniface IX. He was born in Naples and in his youth entered the Order of Cistercians. He suppo ...

(1384–1392) *

Pierre de Thury Pierre de Thury (died 9 December 1410) was a French bishop and cardinal of the Avignon Obedience, who served as a royal secretary and Master of Requests, and then as papal Nuncio and Apostolic Legate on several occasions. He participated in two ...

(1385–1410) *

Antonio II Panciera Antonio Panciera (1350–1431) was an Italian Cardinal and humanist. Biography Born at Portogruaro, he studied law at the University of Padua, and worked in the papal administration. From 1393 he was bishop of Concordia, and in 1402 Patriarch ...

(6 June 1411 – 3 July 1431) *

Guillaume-Hugues d'Estaing Guillaume-Hugues d'Estaing (died 28 October 1455) (called the Cardinal of Metz) was a French Roman Catholic cardinal and bishop. Biography Guillaume-Hugues d'Estaing was born in Étain, the son of Hugues d'Estaing. After becoming a doctor of b ...

(1431–1446) * Tommaso Parentucelli di Sanzana (

) (1446–1447) *

Filippo Calandrini Filippo Calandrini (1403 – 18 July 1476) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and half-brother of Pope Nicholas V. Biography He was born in 1403 in Genoese Sarzana (now in the region of Liguria), a town located in ancient Lunigiana, a key b ...

(1448–1451) *

Alessandro Oliva di Sassoferrato Alessandro Oliva (1407–1463) (called the Cardinal of Santa Susanna) was an Italians, Italian Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal. Biography Alessandro Oliva was born in Sassoferrato in 1409, the son of Alerenzio an ...

(19 March 1460 – 20 August 1463) *

Jean Balue Jean Balue (5 October 1491) was a French cardinal and minister of Louis XI. Born without resources, he managed to climb the political ladder by exploiting connections, to whom he often did not remain loyal, and by making himself an indispensable ...

(13 May 1468 – 31 January 1483) *

Lorenzo Cibo de’ Mari Lorenzo Cybo de Mari (c. 1450/1451 – 21 December 1503) was an Italian Catholic Church, Catholic Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal. He was archbishop of Benevento. Biography Born in Genoa, de Mari was an illegitimate child. According to some sour ...

(23 March 1489 – 14 March 1491) *

Juan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, el mayor Juan de Borja Lanzol (Llançol) de Romaní, el mayor (1446 – August 1, 1503) was the first of ten cardinal-nephews elevated by Pope Alexander VI, the cousin of his father, Galcerán de Borja y Moncada. Biography Borja was the son of Galcer ...

(31 August 1492 – 1 August 1503) *

Francesco Soderini Francesco di Tommaso Soderini (10 June 1453 – 17 May 1524) was a major diplomatic and Church figure of Renaissance Italy, and brother of Piero Soderini. He was an adversary of the Medici family. Biography On 27 Mar 1486, he was ordained a priest ...

(12 June 1503 – 15 September 1508) *

Leonardo Grosso della Rovere Leonardo Grosso della Rovere (1464 – 17 September 1520) (called the Cardinal of Agen) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal. Biography Leonardo Grosso della Rovere was born in Savona in 1464, the son of Antonio Grosso and Maria d ...

(15 September 1508 – 9 March 1517) *

Raffaello Petrucci Raffaello Petrucci (1472 in Siena – 11 December 1522, in Rome) was a Cardinal and Roman Catholic bishop. Biography He was born in Siena, circa 1472. He was the son of Giacoppo Petrucci. Since 1494, the year of the Medici expulsion from Florence ...

(26 December 1517 – 11 December 1522) *

Antonio Sanseverino Antonio Sanseverino (died 1543) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and bishop. Biography Antonio Sanseverino was born in Naples ca. 1477, the son of Giovanni Antonio Sanseverino, a Neapolitan patrician, and Enrichetta Carafa. Early in hi ...

(27 April 1528 – 16 May 1530) * Juan García de Loaysa y Mendoza (16 May 1530 – 22 April 1546) *

Georges II d'Amboise Georges d'Amboise (1488–1550) was a French Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal. Biography A member of the House of Amboise, Georges d'Amboise was born in the Kingdom of France in 1488, one of the sixteen children of Jean d'Amboise, ''signeur ...

(7 September 1546 – 28 February 1550) *

Jacques d'Annebaut Jacques d'Annebaut (Denebaud, Anebault and Annebault) (died 1557) was a French cardinal. He was a cousin of Jean Le Veneur (their mothers Marie and Marguerite Blosset were sisters), and brother of Claude d'Annebault, marshal of France. He beca ...

(22 March 1548 – 6 June 1557) *

Girolamo Seripando Girolamo Seripando ( Troja, Apulia, 6 May 1493 – Trento, 17 March 1563) was an Augustinian friar, Italian theologian and cardinal. Life He was of noble birth, and intended by his parents for the legal profession. After their death, however, at ...

(10 March 1561 – 17 March 1563) *

Francisco Pacheco de Toledo Francisco Pacheco de Toledo (1508 – 23 August 1579) was a Spanish Cardinal (Catholic Church), cardinal. Life Pacheco was born in Ciudad Rodrigo. He was admitted to the court of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V and Philip II of Spa ...

(14 July 1564 – 7 February 1565) *

Bernardo Navagero Bernardo Navagero (Venice 1507 – 13 April 1565 Verona) was a Venetian ambassador and a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Life Venetian patrician, son of Gianluigi Navagero and Lucrezia Agostini, he studied at the University of Padua. He ma ...

(6 February 1565 – 13 April 1565) *

Francesco Alciati Francesco Alciati (2 February 1522 – 20 April 1580) was an Italian Cardinal. A native of Milan and a relative of Andrea Alciato, he became one of the most important law professors in Milan. His best-known student in Pavia was St Charles Borromeo. ...

(3 June 1565 – 13 May 1569) *

(9 June 1570 – 18 August 1597 or 1603) * Anne d’Escars de Givry (de Pérusse), O.S.B. (14 June 1604 – 19 April 1612)Catholic Hierarchy
/ref> *

Gaspar Borja y Velasco Gaspar de Borja y Velasco (26 June 1580 – 28 December 1645) was a Spanish cardinal, ecclesiastic and politician. He belonged to the house of Borgia (though he always used the Spanish spelling of ''Borja'') and served as Primate of Spain, Archbi ...

(10 December 1612 – 17 October 1616) *

Scipione Cobelluzzi Scipione Cobelluzzi (1564 – 29 June 1626) was an Italian cardinal, archivist and librarian. He was chief archivist of the Vatican Secret Archives (which now holds over 85 linear kilometres of shelving), from 17 February 1618 until his dea ...

(17 October 1616 – 29 June 1626) *

Giulio Cesare Sacchetti Giulio Cesare Sacchetti (1586 – 28 June 1663) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and was twice included in the French Court's list of acceptable candidates for the Papacy, in 1644 and 1655. Early life Sacchetti was born in 1586, the second sur ...

(2 December 1626 – 29 April 1652) *

Giovanni Battista Spada Giambattista Spada or Giovanni Battista Spada (28 August 1597 – 23 January 1675) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography On 23 August 1643, he was consecrated bishop by Marcantonio Franciotti, Bishop of Lucca, with Ranuccio Scotti Douglas, B ...

(23 March 1654 – 27 January 1659) * Francesco Pallavincio Sforza (1659–1660) *

Carlo Carafa della Spina Carlo Carafa della Spina (1611–1680) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography On 1 Jan 1645, he was consecrated bishop by Ciriaco Rocci, Cardinal-Priest of San Salvatore in Lauro, with Fabio Lagonissa, Titular Patriarch of Antioch, and Alfonso ...

(13 April 1665 – 27 May 1675) * Bernhard Gustave von Baden-Durlach (19 October 1676 – 26 December 1677) * Marc Antonio Barbarigo (30 September 1686 – 1 July 1697) *

Daniello Marco Delfino Daniello Marco Dolfino or Daniel Marc Delfin (born 5 October 1653 in Venice, then in the Republic of Venice and died in Brescia on 5 August 1704) is an Italian cardinal of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century and member of the noble ...

(30 March 1700 – 5 August 1704) * Lorenzo Corsini (

Pope Clement XII Pope Clement XII ( la, Clemens XII; it, Clemente XII; 7 April 16526 February 1740), born Lorenzo Corsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1730 to his death in February 1740. Clement presided over the ...

) (25 June 1706 – 16 December 1720) * José Pereira de Lacerda (16 June 1721 – 28 September 1738) * Raniero Felice Simonetti (15 May 1747 – 20 August 1749) * Luca Melchiore Tempi (24 May 1756 – 23 May 1757) * Ludovico Valenti (19 November 1759 – 20 December 1762) *

Carlo Crivelli Carlo Crivelli (Venice, c. 1430 – Ascoli Piceno, c. 1495) was an Italian Renaissance painter of conservative Late Gothic decorative sensibility, who spent his early years in the Veneto, where he absorbed influences from the Vivarini ...

(24 May 1802 – 19 January 1818) * Giuseppe Della Porta Rodiani (24 July 1835 – 18 December 1841) * Ignazio Cadolini (30 January 1843 – 11 April 1850) *

Alessandro Barnabò Alessandro Barnabò (2 March 1801 – 24 February 1874) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and Prefect of the Congregation Propaganda Fide. Early life Barnabò was born on 2 March 1801 in Foligno. At the age of 10, he was sent by the French admini ...

(19 June 1856 – 24 February 1874) *

Bartolomeo D’Avanzo Bartolomeo D’Avanzo (3 July 1811 – 20 October 1884) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal of the 19th century. Early life D'Avanzo was born 3 July 1811 in Avella. He was ordained as a priest on 20 September 1834 and was placed in the service of ...

(7 April 1876 – 20 October 1884) *

Francis Patrick Moran Patrick Francis Cardinal (Catholic Church), Cardinal Moran (16 September 183016 August 1911) was the third Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Catholic Bishops and Archbishops of Sydney, Archbishop of Sydney and the first Cardinal (Catholicism ...

(30 July 1885 – 16 August 1911) *

François-Virgile Dubillard François-Virgile Dubillard (16 February 1845 in Soye near Besançon. France – 1 December 1914 in Chambéry) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church, and Archbishop of Chambéry 1907–1914. He was made cardinal in 1911 by Pope Pius X. ...

(30 November 1911 – 1 December 1914) *

Giorgio Gusmini Giorgio Gusmini (9 December 1855 – 24 August 1921) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Bologna. Biography Giorgio Gusmini was born in Gazzaniga, Italy as the son of Santo Gusmini and Maddalena Cagnoni. H ...

(9 December 1915 – 24 August 1921) *

(18 December 1924 – 26 November 1927) *

Alexis Lépicier Alexis-Henri-Marie Lépicier O.S.M. (28 February 1863, Vaucouleurs, Meuse – 20 May 1936) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who was Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Religious. Lépicier was born in Vaucouleurs, France. ...

(22 December 1927 – 20 May 1936) *

Arthur Hinsley Arthur Hinsley (1865–1943) was an English prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Westminster from 1935 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1937. Early life and ministry Hinsley was born in Carlton ne ...

(16 December 1937 – 17 March 1943) * Edward Mooney (22 February 1946 – 25 October 1958) *

(18 December 1958 – 2 November 1970) *

Humberto Sousa Medeiros Humberto Sousa Medeiros, GCIH (October 6, 1915 – September 17, 1983) was a Portuguese-American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Boston from 1970 until his death in 1983, and was created a cardinal in 1973. ...

(5 March 1973 – 17 September 1983) *

(25 May 1985 – 20 December 2017)

Notes

References

*
Manfred Clauss, "Susanna" in ''Biographisch-Bibliographische Kirchenlexikon''
Full bibliography. * :it:Santa Susanna (titolo cardinalizio)

External links

More the Church of St Susanna in RomePaulist FathersChiesa Rettoria Santa Susanna Alle Terme Di Diocleziano
{{Authority control Roman Catholic churches completed in 1603 Susanna Susanna Baroque architecture in Rome 4th-century churches Catholic Church in the United States Paulist Order 280 establishments 1603 establishments in Italy Susanna 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Carlo Maderno buildings