Santo Stefano del Cacco

Santo Stefano del Cacco is a church in Rome, in Rione Pigna, in the same street.

Originally the name of the church of Santo Stefano de pinea, after the pine cones from the Roman period, which was found in this area and the Rione gave his name. He is now in the Cortile della Pigna in the Vatican. The popular name del Cacco comes from the corruption of Macaco (Monkey ), for an Egyptian Kynokephalen was found near the portal of the church. The Romans saw him as a monkey head, although he was actually a dog's head, the Egyptian god Anubis figured.

The origin of the church is very old and goes back to Pope Paschal I in the 9th century. His portrait was displayed in the apse mosaic in 1607 destroyed. In the 12th century, the Campanile was erected, which is now integrated into the adjoining monastery, and the apse. Pope Pius IV left the church in 1563 the Padri Silvestrini for pastoral care. The church was thoroughly restored by the Fathers, just like in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The interior consists of three naves ( basilica type). It houses a fresco by Perin del Vaga, representing the Pietà. In the apse is the fresco of the martyrdom of Saint Stephen of Cristoforo Casolani.