 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "San Cesareo de Appia" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(September 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| San Cesareo de Appia | |
|---|---|
| San Cesareo in Palatio | |
Chiesa di San Cesareo de Appia | |
 Façade | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view. | |
| 41°52′43.24″N12°29′49.62″E / 41.8786778°N 12.4971167°E /41.8786778; 12.4971167 | |
| Location | Via di Porta San Sebastiano 2,Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Tradition | Roman Rite |
| History | |
| Founder | Valentinian I |
| Dedication | Caesarius of Terracina |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | titular church |
| Style | Baroque |
| Groundbreaking | 8th century[citation needed] |
| Completed | 17th century |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Rome |
San Cesareo in Palatio orSan Caesareo de Appia (Italian:[santʃeˈzaːreodeˈappja]) is atitular church inRome dedicated to SaintCaesarius of Terracina, a 2nd-century deacon and martyr. It is located nearCasina del Cardinal Bessarione on Via di Porta San Sebastiano and the beginning of theAppian Way. The present church was constructed in the early 17th century, but the church could trace its origin to the 4th century.
In the 4th century, EmperorValentinian I's daughter was cured at the shrine ofCaesarius atTerracina, the site of his martyrdom. The emperor (who reigned in AD 364–375) then decided to move his relics to Rome. They were taken to a church on thePalatine Hill, and when they were later moved to a new church, that church got the name "in Palatio", "at the Palace". It is also known as San Cesareo de Appia.[1]
Excavations have revealed aRoman bath on the site from the 2nd or 3rd century, with a huge black and white mosaic depictingNeptune and marine creatures, along with foundations of what is thought to be the first church here, built in the 8th century.[2]
No written evidence exists for the church's origins; it is first mentioned in the written sources in 1192. In the Middle Ages, the church was part of a hospice and hospital for pilgrims, and had a column in front of it to demonstrate this.[citation needed]
The present church is the result of reconstruction work undertaken in 1602/3, supervised by the great historian CardinalCesare Baronio,[3] who was then titular here and whose house survives. The coat-of-arms of the reigningPope Clement VIII, who was of theAldobrandini family, was added to thecoffered ceiling. The central panel of the latter depicts St. Caesarius. Though they have now been lost to pollution, at this same period frescoes were added to the facade, which is the work ofGiacomo della Porta. TheCosmatesque pulpit, the balustrades, the altar frontal andepiscopal chair behind the altar (in pale blue, unusual in Cosmatesque work) may have been brought here at this time fromSan Giovanni in Laterano, when work was undertaken at this period in the transepts there, although possibly they came from other churches. The paintings between the windows are also 17th century, byCavalier D'Arpino andCesare Rosetti,[4][5] and depict the martyrdoms of St. Caesarius and of several saints named Hippolytus, a compliment to Pope Clement VIII, whose baptismal name was Ippolito. It was Cavalier D'Arpino who also produced the design for the rare motif in the mosaic,God the Father.[6]
Another restoration occurred in the years 1955 to 1963.
John Paul II was the titular cardinal of this church.
| International | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
