Early Churches

Cue (NZERS), 1 June 1944, Page 18

Early Churches

The 'earliest Christian churches in Rome appear to have been the Baptistries and the little sepulchral shrines of the Catacombs. Later some for the Pagan buildings were taken ’ over for Christian use and it is probable, that in many instances these early Christian buildings may have been re-used secular buildings as at Sabratha;

Three churches are specially worthy of mention, and a further series of churches having early" foundations (of which some traces remain) will also be listed.

The Pantheon, built by Augustus in 27 b.c. and restored by Hadrian, was closed by the Christian Emperors. It had formerly contained the statues of the principal Gods, but not as the name suggests, all the Gods from Jove to Christ. In 609 ad it was re-opened as a Christian church dedicated as A. Maria dei Martiri.

In the troubled days of mediaeval Rome it was sought as vantage point in the party dog-fights but the promises of the Roman Senators protected it. Pope Urban VII ” converted ” the remainder of the bronze roof for gun metal for his Castel S. Angelo and for the throne canopy of St. Peter’s. He thus earned the Pasquinade* ’’Quod non fecerunt Barbari, fecerunt Barberini ”— ” what the barbarians did not do the Barberini

did — ” Urban VII was a Bafberini. The Church of San Marco is to be found in the little Piazza of that name by the Palazzo Venezia. Said to have been founded originally in 336 ad it was rebuilt in the Bth and 9th Centuries and subsequently has been much enriched. It contains some good. 9 th century mosaics in the apse, and despite much Baroquing, is still attractive.

Santa Maria Maggiore. - This church above all others conveys the impression of dignity and good proportion of the pure Basilica style. Its columns in the Nave are all lonic and alike, and despite many additions in later ages it retains its essential simplicity of line. It is a 4th-sth Century foundation, like S. Marco.

: Other early foundations. Of the Baptistries, that of San Giovanni in Fonte on the site of the Lateran Nymphium, Sail Praesade and San Piudenzia are all early. The Baptistry of Constantine was not the site of that Emperor’s Baptism, nor was it built by him. ■ To the sth Century belong S’. Maria Antica in the Foro Romano. San Croce ■in Gerusalemme — church Helena’s true Cross— -San Sabina and the now damaged San Lorenzo fuori le Mura. , '

Other churches of early foundation or built on pre-christian temples which should be visited are S’. Maria sopra Minerva, S. Maria in Trastevire and Maria in Aracoeli, where Gibbon is said to have had the inspiration to plan his monumental ’’Decline and Fa 11..” To VII Century belongs San Georgia in Velabr.a with its 13th Century portico. Reference has already been made ,to •S'. Pietro in Vincola, with its statue of Moses by Michelangelo. Those who wish to see further churches should remember the underground basilica at the Porta Maggiore, the early 4th-7th Century foundation of S’. Agnes fuori le Mura and of course the Lateran Basilica.

Beneath 6'. Giovanni e Paulo there are some good mosaics while the 13th Century 5”. Quattro Coronati is of interest.. . This last group is all around the Esquiline.

*A name applied to such comment, then, being daringly written up by one, Pasquino, who escaped actual detection at the time.