| San Crisogono | |
|---|---|
| Basilica of Saint Chrysogonus(in English) Sancti Crisogoni(in Latin) | |
 The church | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| 41°53′21″N12°28′25″E / 41.889100°N 12.473732°E /41.889100; 12.473732 | |
| Location | Piazza Sonnino 44,Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Tradition | Roman Rite |
| Religious order | Trinitarians |
| History | |
| Status | Titular church, Minor basilica, General Curia of theTrinitarian Order |
| Dedication | Saint Chrysogonus |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Giovanni Battista Soria |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Romanesque (campanile),Baroque (basilica) |
| Groundbreaking | 4th century AD? |
| Completed | 17th century |
| Administration | |
| District | Lazio |
| Province | Rome |
| Clergy | |
| Cardinal protector | Andrew Yeom Soo-jung |
Basilica diSan Crisogono (English: Basilica of Saint Chrysogonos) is atitular church and minor basilica located inTrastevere,Rome. Established in the 4th century underPope Sylvester I, it is one of the oldest parish churches in the city and has served as a cardinal titular church sinceearly Christianity. The present basilica, reconstructed under CardinalScipione Borghese in the early 17th century, is notable for itsBaroque interior, and the extensive remains of the early Christian church preserved beneath thecrypt. Today, San Crisogono remains an activeparish and is also part of the traditionalstational liturgy observed duringLent.
Built in the 4th century underPope Sylvester I (314–335),San Crisogono is one of the firstparish churches of Rome.Chrysogonus was martyred inAquileia probably during the persecution of Diocletian, was buried there, and publicly venerated by the faithful of that region. Very early the veneration of this martyr was transferred to Rome. The first mentioned of the church (Titulus Chrysogoni) is in the signatures of the Roman Synod of 499. It is possible that the founder of the church was a certain Chrysogonus, and that, on account of the similarity of name, the church was soon devoted to the veneration of the martyr of Aquileia; it is also possible that from the beginning, for some unknown reason, it was consecrated to St. Chrysogonus and takes its name from him.[1]
In 731Pope Gregory III restored the church and founded a monastery dedicated toSancti Stephani, Laurentii et Chrysogoni. The original monks were of the Byzantine rite. The church was rebuilt in 1123t byJohn of Crema, and again in 1626 byGiovanni Battista Soria, funded byScipione Borghese.[2]
A further renovation was carried out in the mid-1860s, shortly after the basilica was placed in the care of the Trinitarian Order.[3]
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Thebell tower dates from the 12th century rebuilding. The interior of the church was rebuilt in the 1620s on the site of a 12th-century church. The 22 granite columns in thenave arereused antique columns. The floor iscosmatesque. Theconfessio in thesanctuary area is from the 8th century.[4] Thehigh altar is from 1127, with abaldachino from (1627 or 1641) byG.B Soria.
The painting in the middle of theBaroquecoffered ceiling is byGuercino, and depicts theGlory of Saint Chrysogonus. It is likely a copy of the original,[5] which is thought to have been taken to London.
On the left side of the nave is the shrine ofBlessed Anna Maria Taigi, buried here in the habit of atertiary of the Trinitarians. Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (1769–1837) was a Christian mystic beatified in 1920. Above the altar is a painting by Aronne Del Vecchio of the Trinitarian Saints in Glory.[6] Visitors can view some of her other belongings in the adjacentmonastery, where they arevenerated asrelics.
The monument at the left of the entrance, dedicated toCardinalGiovanno Jacopo Millo was completed byCarlo Marchionni andPietro Bracci. Along the right side of the nave are the remains offrescoes, including aSanta Francesca Romana and aCrucifixion, attributed toPaolo Guidotti and transferred from the Church of Saints Barbara and Catherine. The nave also displays a painting ofThree Archangels byGiovanni da San Giovanni and aTrinity and Angels byGiacinto Gimignani, while the altar has aGuardian Angel byLudovico Gimignani. Thepresbytery andciborium (or baldachin), created by Soria, are surrounded by fouralabaster columns. Theapse has frescoes of theLife of Saint Crisogono (16th century) above aMadonna & Child with Saints Crisogono & James by the 12th century school ofPietro Cavallini. The presbyteryvault is frescoed with a Virgin byGiuseppe Cesari.[7]
The inscriptions found in San Crisogono, a valuable source illustrating the history of the church, have been collected and published by Vincenzo Forcella.[8]
Remains from the first church, possibly from the reign ofConstantine I were discovered in 1907, and are accessed by a staircase in the sacristy. A semi-circular apse is visible. Brickwork in the apse area, datable to the 2nd century, seem to relate to a fairly high-status private house, part of which was converted into a church in the 4th century. The church had a single nave.[9]
On either side of the apse are rooms known aspastophoria, service rooms of a type common in Eastern churches. The one on the right-hand side is thought to have been used as a diaconium, with functions resembling those of thesacristy. The other may have been a baptistry. A number of basins found there during the excavations, including one cut into the south wall, could mean that it was afullonica, a laundry and dye-house.[9] The area was a commercial district at the time, so this is quite likely. Others think that the basin in the south wall was made forbaptism by immersion. As there were other basins too, it seems more likely that it was originally intended for a different use, but it may very well have been used as a baptismal font after the building had been consecrated as a church.[4]
Benedictines acquired the premises in the 10th century and added a series of frescoes depicting scenes from the life ofBenedict of Nursia.[4] Other frescoes are from the 8th to the 11th century, and includePope Sylvester Capturing the Dragon,St Pantaleon Healing the Blind Man, andThe Rescue ofSt Placid.
Severalsarcophagi have been preserved here, some beautifully decorated. Below the first church are remains of earlier Roman houses.[9]
The shrine was for many centuries thenational church of theSardinians and theCorsicans resident in Rome. Starting with the 16th century, the Corsicans immigrated in the city settled in theTiber Island and in that part of Trastevere lying between the Port ofRipa Grande and the church. In the interior are buried several commanders of theCorsican Guard,[2] amilitia analogue to theSwiss guard, which was active in Rome between the 15th and the 17th century.
The feast day of St Chrysogonus, 24 November, is also the dedication day of the church. Pilgrims and other faithful who attend Mass on this day receive a plenaryindulgence.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
Media related toSan Crisogono (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by Santi Cosma e Damiano | Landmarks of Rome San Crisogono, Rome | Succeeded by Santa Croce in Via Flaminia |
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