Sant'Agnese Fuori Le Mura
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The church of Saint Agnes Outside the Walls () is a
titular Titular may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Title character in a narrative work, the character referred to in its title Religion * Titular (Catholicism), a cardinal who holds a titulus, one of the main churches of Rome ** Titular bisho ...
church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
, a
minor basilica Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectura ...
in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, on a site sloping down from the
Via Nomentana The Via Nomentana was an ancient Roman road in Italy, leading North-East from Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio ...
, which runs north-east out of the city, still under its ancient name. What are said to be the remains of Saint Agnes are below the high altar. The church is built over the Catacombs of Saint Agnes, where the saint was originally buried, and which may still be visited from the church. A large basilica with the same name was built nearby in the 4th century and its ruins can be seen near
Santa Costanza The Mausoleum of Constantina, also known as the ''Mausoleum of Santa Costanza'', was built in the 4th century AD for Constantina (also known as Constantia), the daughter of the emperor Constantine I. It later became a church. It is located in Ro ...
, in the same site. The existing church was built by Pope Honorius I in the 7th century, and largely retains its original structure, despite many changes to the decoration. In particular the
mosaic A mosaic () is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/Mortar (masonry), mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and ...
in the
apse In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...
of Agnes, Honorius, and another Pope is largely in its original condition. The current
Cardinal Priest A cardinal is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. As titular members of the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, they serve as advisors to the pope, who is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. Ca ...
of the ''Titulus S. Agnetis Extra moenia'' is Camillo Ruini.


History

A very large basilica was built some metres from the present church in the 4th century, to which was attached the large private mausoleum for
Constantina Flavia Valeria Constantina (also sometimes called ''Constantia'' and ''Constantiana''; ; b. after 307/before 317 – d. 354), later known as Saint Constance, was the eldest daughter of Roman emperor Constantine the Great and his second wife Faust ...
, the daughter of
Constantine I Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...
. The mausoleum was later converted into a church, which survives and is now known as
Santa Costanza The Mausoleum of Constantina, also known as the ''Mausoleum of Santa Costanza'', was built in the 4th century AD for Constantina (also known as Constantia), the daughter of the emperor Constantine I. It later became a church. It is located in Ro ...
(she was venerated as a saint, even though she was not one officially). It contains very important 4th century
mosaic A mosaic () is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/Mortar (masonry), mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and ...
s, especially large areas of ceiling in a secular style, but also two small apse mosaics, one including an early depiction of Jesus in what has become the standard style of long fair hair and a
halo HALO, halo, halos or haloes may refer to: Most common meanings * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head * ''Halo'' (franchise), a sci-fi video game series (2001–2021) Arts and en ...
. The large basilica decayed during the decline of Rome, and was replaced in the 7th century by the present much smaller church, commissioned by Pope Honorius I. The lower part of the walls from about half of one side of the Constantinian basilica, and its
apse In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...
, can still be seen. The new church was over what was believed to be Agnes's grave. The floor level of the 7th-century church is some two metres above the level of the catacomb floor, and the public street entrances are at the level of the 2nd floor gallery. A long wide internal set of steps, lined with inscriptions from the catacombs and other ancient buildings set into the walls, leads down from the street level to the floor level of the church. The apse mosaic from Honorius's time is still present, and less affected by restoration than most mosaics of this date. On a
gold ground Gold ground (both a noun and adjective) or gold-ground (adjective) is a term in art history for a style of images with all or most of the background in a solid gold colour. Historically, real gold leaf has normally been used, giving a luxurious ...
, a central standing figure of Agnes in the costume of a Byzantine empress is flanked by Honorius, offering a model of the building, and another pope, whose identity is uncertain. The church was also built with a separate upper gallery for women (''matronaeum''), similar to that of
San Lorenzo fuori le mura The (Papal Basilica of Saint Lawrence outside the Walls) is a Roman Catholic papal minor basilica and parish church, located in Rome, Italy. The Basilica is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and one of the five papal basilicas (former ...
. Saint Emerentiana was also buried here. The catacombs are on three levels, dating from the 2nd to the 5th centuries; part of the highest level dating to the 2nd century can be visited by a guided tour. Though no paintings remain in place, there are a number of inscriptions and engraved images of interest. Many more inscriptions line the large staircase leading from the main convent above to the church. It is in this church that on the feast day of St. Agnes (January 21), two lambs are specially blessed, usually by the
pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
after a pontifical high Mass; their
wool Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal w ...
is later woven into pallia, ceremonial neck-stoles sent by the
popes The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the sovereign or head of sta ...
to newly elevated Metropolitan-archbishops to symbolise their union with the
papacy The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...
. The church was assigned to the Canons Regular of the Lateran by
Pope Innocent VIII Pope Innocent VIII (; ; 1432 – 25 July 1492), born Giovanni Battista Cybo (or Cibo), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 August 1484 to his death, in July 1492. Son of the viceroy of Naples, Cybo spent his ea ...
in 1489; and they continued to serve it after
Pope Clement XI Pope Clement XI (; ; ; 23 July 1649 â€“ 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721. Clement XI was a patron of the arts an ...
made it a
parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), 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 com ...
in 1708. It is the headquarters of the primaria sodality of the Children of Mary, founded here in 1864.


In legend and literature

The church is the topic of Canadian author and anthropologist
Margaret Visser Margaret Visser (born May 11, 1940) is a Canadian writer and broadcaster who lives in Toronto, Paris, and South West France. Her subject matter is the history, anthropology, and mythology of everyday life. Biography Born in South Africa, she att ...
's book ''The Geometry of Love'', published in 2000, which describes it in exhaustive detail and discusses aspects of history, theology, architecture, symbolism and the emotional and aesthetic effects of visiting the church.


List of Cardinal Priests

The Church of S. Agnese fuori le mura was established as a titular church for a Cardinal Priest on 5 October 1654 by Pope
Innocent X Pope Innocent X (6 May 1574 â€“ 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death, in January 1655. Born in Rome of a family fro ...
: * Salvador Miranda, ''The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church:'
''Cardinal Baccio Aldobrandini''
Retrieved: 2016-03-12.
(5 October 1654 – 1 April 1658) *
Girolamo Farnese Girolamo Farnese (1599–1668) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography On 26 Apr 1639, was consecrated bishop by Giovanni Battista Scanaroli, titular Bishop of Sidon, with Tommaso Carafa, Bishop of Vulturara e Montecorvino, Bishop Emeritus of ...
(6 May 1658 – 18 February 1668) * Vitaliano Visconti (18 March 1669 – 7 October 1671) * Federico Borromeo (iuniore) (8 August 1672 – 18 February 1673) * Toussaint de Forbin-Janson (10 July 1690 – 28 September 1693) * Giambattista Spinola (20 February 1696 – 7 April 1698) * Rannuzio Pallavicino (25 June 1706 – 30 June 1712) * Giorgio Spinola (20 January 1721 – 15 December 1734) * Serafino Cenci (27 June 1735 – 24 June 1740) * Filippo Maria De Monti (23 September 1743 – 10 April 1747) * Frédéric Jérôme de La Rochefoucauld (15 May 1747 – 29 April 1757) * Étienne-René Potier de Gesvres (2 August 1758 – 24 July 1774) * Luigi Valenti Gonzaga (30 March 1778 – 29 November 1790) * Giuseppe Spina (24 May 1802 – 21 February 1820) * Dionisio Bardaxí y Azara (27 September 1822 – 3 December 1826) * Ignazio Nasalli-Ratti (17 September 1827 – 2 December 1831) *
Filippo Giudice Caracciolo Filippo Giudice Caracciolo was an Italian prelate who was archbishop of Naples from 1833 to 1844. Life Born into a noble family in Naples on 27 March 1785, he entered the Oratorian order in the late years of the 18th century. He was ordaine ...
(30 September 1833 – 29 January 1844) * Hugues-Robert-Jean-Charles de la Tour d'Auvergne-Lauragais (16 April 1846 – 20 July 1851) * Girolamo D’Andrea ''
in commendam In canon law, commenda (or ''in commendam'') was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice ''in trust'' to the ''custody'' of a patron. The phrase ''in commendam'' was originally applied to the provisional occupation of an ecclesiastica ...
'' (18 March 1852 – 14 May 1868) * Lorenzo Barili (24 September 1868 – 8 March 1875) * Pietro Giannelli (31 March 1875 – 5 November 1881) * Charles-Martial Allemand-Lavigerie (3 July 1882 – 25 November 1892) * Georg von Kopp (19 January 1893 – 4 March 1914) * Károly Hornig (28 May 1914 – 9 February 1917) *
Adolf Bertram Adolf Bertram (14 March 1859 – 6 July 1945) was archbishop of Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. Early life Adolf Bertram was born in Hildesheim, Royal Prussian Province of Hanover (now Lower Saxony), Germa ...
(18 December 1919 – 6 July 1945) * Samuel Alphonse Stritch (22 February 1946 – 26 May 1958) * Carlo Confalonieri (18 December 1958 – 15 March 1972) * Louis-Jean Guyot (5 March 1973 – 1 August 1988) * Camillo Ruini (28 June 1991 – present)


References

;Additional sources * Marina Magnani Cianetti and Carlo Pavolini, ''La Basilica costantiniana di Sant'Agnese: lavori archeologici e di restauro'' (Milano: Electa, 2004). * * Friedrich Wilhelm Deichmann, ''S. Agnese Fuori le Mura und die byzantinische Frage in der frühchristlichen Architektur Roms'' (Leipzig 1941). * Carlo Cecchelli, ''S. Agnese fuori le mura e S. Costanza'' (Roma, Casa Editrice 1924) 'Le chiese di Roma illustrate'', no. 10


External links


Parish website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Agnese fuori le mura, Sant' Basilica churches in Rome Titular churches 7th-century churches in Italy Roman Catholic churches in Rome Rome Q. XVII Trieste