Santa Maria in Domnica

Santa Maria in Domnica — also known as Santa Maria alla Navicella — is a basilica church in Rome.

History

The church was built in ancient times, close to the barracks of the 5th cohort of Vigiles. The church was built no later than the 7th century. Pope Paschal I, who is to be credited for the age of renovation and artistic splendour that happened in Rome in early 9th century, rebuilt the church in 818-822, providing it with a noteworthy mosaic decoration.

The attribute "in Domnica" has been differently explained. One interpretation is the derivation from "dominicum", which means "of the Lord", and by extension "church". [Armellini.] Another interpretation refers to the name of Cyriaca, a woman who lived close by, and whose name means "belonging to the Lord", "Dominica" in Latin. [Thayer] . The attribute "alla Navicella" means "near the little ship", and refers to the Roman sculpture of a ship that has been placed in front of the church for a long time, turned into a fountain by Leo X.

The Cardinal Deacon of the "Titulus S. Mariae in Domnica" is William Joseph Levada.

Art and architecture

Pope Leo X renovated the church in 1513-14, Andrea Sansovino directing the works and including the facade portico with tuscan columns. The internal columns are recycled from an ancient temple and crowned with Corinthian capitals. The ceiling is frescoed by Perin del Vaga, based on designs of Giulio Romano. The apse mosaid from the 8th century depicts "Christ, angels, and apostles", "Moses and Elias", "Virgin and child on throne", and "Pasquale I in ginocchio". There are also frescoes by Lazzaro Baldi [ [http://www.romecity.it/Santamariaindomnica.htm|Romecity.il entry on Santa Maria in Dominica] ] .

Notes

References

* Armellini, Mariano, "Le chiese di Roma dal secolo IV al XIX" [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/I/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/churches/_Texts/Armellini/ARMCHI*/2/Campitelli.html]
* [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/churches/S.Maria_in_Domnica/home.html Thayer, Bill, "S. Maria in Domnica", "Gazetteer"]