- San Vitale, Rome
San Vitale is a
basilica church inRome . Its alternative names are Santi Vitale, Valeria, Gervasio e Protasio or Santi Vitale e Compagni Martiri in Fovea.The basilica was built in
400 , and consecrated byPope Innocent I in 401/402. The dedication to St. Vitalis and his family (Saint Valeria , his wife, and Sts.Gervasius and Protasius , their sons) is dated to412 . This church is recorded as "Titulus Vestinae" in the acts of the 499 synod ofPope Symmachus , and three presbyters are listed.San Vitale was restored several times, the most important being the rebuilding by
Pope Sixtus IV before the Jubilee of1475 , and then in1598 ,1938 and1960 . The church is currently located several metres under the street (via Nazionale) level.Pope Pius IX built the staircase to the 5th century portico in1859 .The church is on a single nave, with walls frescoed with scenes of martyrdom, among which a " Martyrdom of St Ignatius of Antioch", in which a ruined
Colosseum is depicted.The apsis, original of the 5th century, is decorated with a fresco by
Andrea Commodi , the "The Ascent to Calvary".The
Cardinal Priest of the "Titulus S. Vitalis" isAdam Cardinal Maida . Among the previous titulars,Gennaro Cesio , appointed in494 byPope Gelasius I , and St.John Fisher , martyred in1535 byHenry VIII .Free bread was distributed to the poor by the church according to the will of a Roman nobleman, Francesco Silla.
External links
* [http://maps.google.com/?ll=41.899738,12.49072&spn=0.001378,0.004833&t=h Google Maps]
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