The Basilica of San Paolo Fuori le Mura (Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura) has been standing in Rome for seventeen centuries. The church is one of the 4 great papal basilicas. Numerous parishioners and pilgrims strive to the temple to receive the remission of sins in the rite of "Holy Door". Since 1980, the temple added to the list of World Heritage of humanity.
Read articles about papal basilicas:
- Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore);
- St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican (Basilica di San Pietro);
- Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano (Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano);
Execution of St. Paul
The Apostle Paul (lat. Paulus and Paullus) in 67 AD was subjected to numerous tortures and executed by order of the emperor Nero, as a preacher of the new faith. The Christian apostle was buried three kilometers from the place of his death, the grave was marked with a memorial sign. Subsequently, this corner of Rome was called the "Three Fountains", according to legend, the severed head of St. Paul hit the ground three times to open the way for three underground keys.
Story
St. Paul's Cathedral impresses with its grandeur and solemn appearance. The poet Prudentius in a poem written in honor of Emperor Honorius immortalized the beauty of the holy place in poetic form. The picturesque basilica is located behind the Aurelian wall, that is, formally abroad of Rome by the standards of the early Christian era.
The gates of San Paolo (Porta San Paolo), which are part of the wall that defines the borders of the capital, is no less memorable. It is believed that they stand exactly in the place from where the apostle Paul went for head-cutting. From the gate there is a road to the south, at the end of which stands the church of St. Paul (San Paolo).
The temple was built over the tomb of St. Paul in Rome, who was executed at the very beginning of our era. Many believers came to the grave from the very beginning, so it was decorated with a memorial plate. To honor the memory of the secluded apostle under Emperor Constantine I in the 4th century A.D. a church was built.
The building was expanded by order of Valentinian I, and Theodosius I really beautifully designed it In 590-604, under Pope Gregory the Great, the church was rebuilt again: a new altar was built, the courtyard was decorated with more than a hundred columns. In the center of the outdoor courtyard, a monument to San Paolo, holding a large book and a sword, was erected. The monument is made so realistic that looking at it, you see - the apostle was ready to give his life for the Christian faith.
The church received its first damage in the 9th century from Saracens, and in 1823 there was a big fire. After 31 years, it was rebuilt, and consecrated by Pius IX, and the whole Christian world, including Russia, helped him in this. The cathedral was decorated with a new facade, frescoes and mosaics with images of St. Paul, Jesus, the four prophets. In the 13th century, a monastery was opened at the Cathedral in Rome.
Description
Outside, San Paolo Fuori le Mura resembles an ordinary fortress, but the main decorations are inside. The interior of the Cathedral is a rich decoration in the style of classicism and neoclassicism. Three doors lead to the basilica, each of which is decorated separately. In the right door are inserted plates from an ancient door that stood until the 19th century. Not far from them is an image of the resurrection of Christ.
Inside the cathedral there are 5 halls, the central one is divided into parts by 80 granite columns. The colonnade and ceiling fresco date from the 19th century. The ceiling is decorated with carved gilded panels. The cathedral also preserved part of the construction of the V century - fragments of mosaics and an arch. One of the names of this arch is the Arch of Galla Placidia, it is believed that it was erected in honor of the wife of the Roman emperor. Each window has a unique pattern that transmits the sun's rays and fills the cathedral with warm light. The entire floor is lined with images of various animals.
In the gallery of San Paolo Fuori le Mura are portraits of 236 pontiffs. They are located in medallions, and there are very few unfilled frames. There is a legend that when the last Pope dies and all the medallions are filled, the end of the world will come.
Visitors can see in the center of the church a sarcophagus with the relics of St. Paul - this is the main attraction of the church. Above it stands the creation of 1285 - a tabernacle decorated with skillfully combined pagan and Christian motifs. And next to it stands the XIII century candlestick, 5.5 m high. Only the Pope has the right to celebrate mass over the relics.
There are holes in the tomb in which visitors shoved pieces of cloth in order to touch the holy place. Near the sarcophagus there is an altar with a window, which allows any visitor to confess their sins.
Also stored in the basilica:
- a piece of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord;
- a particle of the staff with which Saint Paul made his walking walks;
- particles of the relics of bishops, apostles, martyrs.
In 2011, the 10th international festival of sacred music was held in the cathedral (X ° Festival Internazionale di Musica ed Arte Sacra). Symphony No. 7 of Anton Bruckner performed by the symphony orchestra sounded in the sacred walls.
How to get there
Address: Piazzale San Paolo, 1
San Paolo Fuori le Mura is located in the southern part of the city, two kilometers outside the Aurelian walls. You can visit the territory of the cathedral with a guided tour or on your own. Tourists are provided with the most comfortable conditions, they even provide wheelchairs and are allowed blind people to walk with a guide dog. There are souvenir shops at the entrance to St. Paul's Cathedral.
You can get to the church:
- Metro B-lines leave at Garbatella or Marconi stations;
- by bus number 23 or 769 - you need to get to the stop Via Ostiense-San Paolo;
- on tram number 2 - get off at the Basilica S. Paolo stop.
Useful practical information
- Owners of a car with a navigator will need GPS coordinates: 41 ° 51'31 "N 12 ° 28'35" E.
- Working hours: daily from 07:00 to 18:30, the monastery and cloister are open from 08:00 to 18:15, confessions are held from 7:00 to 12:30 and from 16:00 to 18:30.
- Official website of the basilica: www.basilicasanpaolo.org
