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| Santi Quattro Coronati | |
|---|---|
| Basilica of the Four Holy Crowned Ones | |
Basilica dei Santi Quattro Coronati | |
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 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| 41°53′18″N12°29′54″E / 41.8883°N 12.4983°E /41.8883; 12.4983 | |
| Location | Via dei SS. Quattro 20,Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Tradition | Latin Church |
| Religious order | Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine (nuns) |
| Website | Monastero Agostiniano |
| History | |
| Status | titular church,minor basilica |
| Founded | 4th century |
| Dedication | Four Crowned Martyrs |
| Relics held | Four Crowned Martyrs
|
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Carolingian |
| Completed | 1116 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Rome |
Santi Quattro Coronati is an ancienttitular andconventualminor basilica andAugustinian convent inRome, Italy. The church dates back to the fourth or fifth century, and is devoted to four anonymous saints and martyrs. The complex of the basilica with its two courtyards, the fortified Cardinal Palace with the Saint Silvester Chapel, and the monastery with itscosmatesque cloister is built in a silent and green part of Rome, between theColosseum andSan Giovanni in Laterano.
"Santi Quattro Coronati" means the Four Holy Crowned Ones [i.e. martyrs], and refers to the fact that the saints' names are not known, and therefore referred to with their number, and that they were martyrs, since the crown, together to the branches of palm, is an ancient symbol of martyrdom. According to thePassion of St. Sebastian, the four saints were soldiers who refused to sacrifice toAesculapius, and therefore were killed by order of EmperorDiocletian (r. 284–305). The bodies of the martyrs were buried in the cemetery ofSanti Marcellino e Pietro, on the fourth mile ofvia Labicana, byPope Miltiades and StSebastian (whose skull is preserved in the church). Miltiades decided that the martyrs should be venerated with the names of Claudius, Nicostratus, Simpronianus and Castorius; these names — together to a fifth, Simplicius — were those of fivePannonian martyr stonemasons.
These martyrs were later identified with the four martyrs fromAlbano; Secundus (or Severus); Severianus; Carpoforus (Carpophorus); and Victorinus (Vittorinus). The bodies of the martyrs are kept in four ancient sarcophagi in the crypt. According to a stone dated 1123, the head of one of the four martyrs is buried inSanta Maria in Cosmedin.
Tradition holds the first church on the site was begun byPope Miltiades, in the 4th century on the north side of theCoelian Hill. One of the firstchurches of Rome, it bore theTitulus Aemilianae from the name of the foundress, who probably owned the elaborate Roman villa, the structure of which is evident under the church. The church was completed by the end of the 6th century, and because of its proximity to the medieval papal residence of theLateran Palace, it became prominent in its day. The first renovations occurred underPope Leo IV (847–855), who built the crypt under the nave, added to side aisles, enclosed the courtyard before the facade, and built the belltower and the chapels of Saints Barbara and Nicholas. The new remarkable basilica,Carolingian architecture in style, was 95 m long and 50 m wide.
This church, however, was burned to the ground byRobert Guiscard's troops during theNormanSack of Rome (1084). Instead of rebuilding the original basilica to scale,Pope Paschal II built a smaller basilica with two courtyards, one in front of the other; the first corresponding to the original 9th century courtyard, while the second was sited over the initial part of the nave. The two aisles were included in the Cardinal Palace (right) and in theBenedictine monastery founded by Paschal himself (left). The original apse of the basilica, however, was preserved, and seems oversized for the new church, whose nave was divided into three parts by means of columns. The new church was consecrated on 20 January 1116. In 1338 it was a possession of theSassovivo Abbey.
In the 13th century aCosmatesque cloister was added. The Cardinal Palace was enlarged by cardinalStefano Conti, a nephew ofPope Innocent III. Cardinal Conti also transformed the palace into a fortress, to shelter Popes in the Lateran during the conflict with theHohenstaufen emperors. In 1247, the chapel of St Sylvester, on the ground floor of the fortress, was consecrated; it contains frescoes depicting the stories ofPope Silvester I and EmperorConstantine I, among which the un-historical baptism of the emperor, as well as a depiction of the forgedDonation of Constantine. Painted in the backdrop of political struggles betweenPope Innocent IV and the freshly excommunicated holy Roman emperorFrederick II, the frescoes are meant to underscore the desired sovereignty of the Church (Pope Silvester) over the Empire (Constantine).
When the Popes moved to Avignon (14th century), the Cardinal Palace fell into ruin. Thus, upon the return of the Popes to Rome withPope Martin V, a restoration was necessary. However, when the Papal residence moved from the Lateran to theVatican palace, this basilica lost importance. In 1564,Pope Pius IV entrusted the basilica and the surrounding buildings to theAugustinians, who still serve it.
The interest in the history of this complex renewed in 1913, thanks to the work of the Fine Arts SuperintendentAntonio Muñoz. Once the building became an orphanage, the Augustinian nuns put a revolving drum by its entrance which was used as a deposit "box" for unwanted babies.
The apse contains the frescoes (1630) byGiovanni da San Giovanni of the four patron martyr saints, Severo, Severiano, Carpoforo e Vittorino. The altarpiece on the left nave ofS.Sebastiano curato da Lucina e Irene was painted byGiovanni Baglione. The second courtyard holds the entrance to theOratorio di San Silvestro, with frescoes of medieval origin, as well as others byRaffaellino da Reggio.
Santi Quattro Coronati belongs to thetitular churches of Rome from at least the end of 6th century. The title is now held by CardinalRoger Mahony, Archbishop emeritus ofLos Angeles. Among those once assigned the title are:Pope Leo IV (847), KingHenry of Portugal, who, in 1580, donated the magnificent wooden ceiling, andPope Benedict XV (1914). The full list is known only from the pontificate ofPope Benedict XII (1334–1342):[1][2][3]
In 2002 art historian Andreina Draghi discovered an amazing display of frescoes, dating back to 13th century, while restoring the Gothic Hall of the monastery. Most of the scenes were well preserved under a thick layer of plaster, and represented the Twelve Months, the Liberal Arts, the Four Seasons and the Zodiac. The image ofKing Solomon, a pious and a judge, painted on the northern wall led scholars to argue the room was meant to be a Hall of Justice. Plaster was possibly laid after 1348Black Death for hygienical reasons, or perhaps in the 15th century, when theCamaldolese left the monastery.
Media related toSanti Quattro Coronati at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by Santa Pudenziana | Landmarks of Rome Santi Quattro Coronati | Succeeded by San Saba, Rome |
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