Santa Pudenziana

00184 Roma

Santa Pudenziana, full Santa Pudenziana al Viminale, Latin Sanctae Pudentianae along with her sister church of Santa Prassede, is one of Rome's oldest churches. She lies on the Viminal. The early Christian church was probably built in the 4th century. Below the church are located - for safety reasons only exceptionally open to the public - remains of a Roman house. There are indications of an already use this private house as Christian gathering place from the 2nd century - so that would be Santa Pudenziana, if you know taken into account its still -accessible predecessors, the oldest known Christian church. Patron saint and namesake of the Church is the holy Pudentiana. The Minor Basilica of Santa Pudenziana in 1894 by Pope Leo XIII. elevated to titular church. In the church, the church services for the Filipino Catholics in Rome will take place.

Mosaic

Santa Pudenziana houses a valuable mosaic in the apse, a masterpiece of late antique mosaic art. It represents the enthroned Christ represents as teaching philosophers in the form of the bearded, the so-called " Syrian " type. Beside him, the Prince of the Apostles Paul and Peter, crowned by personifications of the nations ( Ecclesia ex Gentibus ) and the Jewish Christians Church (Ecclesia ex circumcisione ). These were further reinterpreted in late antiquity to Pudentiana and Praxedis. In the apse of the Basilica of Santa Prassede, which was built after the advent worship of two sisters, both women are each mapped between two other saints and flanking Christ. In the sky are seen zuseiten Gemmenkreuzes of the four beings: angels, lion, bull and eagle. The four living creatures represent the four evangelists, Matthew thus ( man / angel ), Mark (lion), Luke ( bull) and John ( eagle). The church father Irenaeus formulated this interpretation already in the 2nd century. They appear in the prophecy of Ezekiel, Chapter 1, verse 10, as well as in the Book of Revelation. This apocalyptic reference the mosaic undergoes an eschatological interpretation, represents Christ and his apostles as a tribunal. The mosaic was circumcised in the Baroque style on all sides, but there is a drawing of Alfonso Chacón, showing the original state. The angel and the eagle in the upper section of the screen you can see only in part, below Christ was still a representation of the dove of the Holy Spirit and of the Lamb of God.

Opening times

The church is open from 08:30 until 12:00 clock, as well as bis 15:00 clock clock 18:00.