Basilica of San Pablo Extramuros

The Basilica of San Pablo Extramuros is one of the five churches considered like oldest of Rome. The Catholic Church considers that they are the Basilica of San Juan of Letrán, Basilica of San Lorenzo Extramuros, Basilica of Santa Maria the Major and the Basilica of San Pedro. It is the second greater Basilica of Rome, after San Pedro, one is to 11 kilometers of this one and according to the tradition it is the place where the apostle Pablo was buried. In 2005 Andrea cardinal Lamb Lance I gave Montezemolo was named arcipreste of the basilica.

The basilica, and all the complex Annex, like the cloister and the monastery, is not part of the Italian Republic, but they are extra-territorial property of Santa Sede.

In 1980 it was including in the list of the Heritage site in Europe by UNESCO, with the identification number 91-013.

History

Before the basilica

The place in which is the basilica of san Pablo Extramuros, to two miles of the Way Ostiensis, was occupied by a vast cemetery sub divos (on the Earth), that was used constantly from century I a. C. until century III d. C., and sporadically reused later, mainly in the mausoleums, until the end of delayed Seniority. He was ample necrópolis and it included/understood diverse tipología of tombs, from the columbarios of family to the small fresh often decorated funeral poffs with and stucco. The totality of this burial area now is almost buried (to a large extent under the level of the neighboring Tíber river), and dead reckoning that extends under all the area of the basilica and of the zone surrounds that it. A minim, but significant part of her can be seen throughout the Way Ostiense, just outside of North transepto of the basilica.

Of the grave of Pablo to Constantino

In this necrópolis was buried san Pablo after to be executed in the days of the neroniana persecution that followed the fire of Rome of the 64. According to some theories, as much it as san Pedro would have undergone martyrdom that same year. Eusebio de Cesarea, however, maintains that both died in the 67. According to the tradition, a matron (Lucina call, but the name probably is fruit of the later legend) prepared a tomb to bury the tails of the apostle. It is necessary to imagine a tomb, sarcófago next to other graves of all type and social extraction poor, more or less like the one of Pedro in necrópolis Vatican. Before the Edicto of Milan, already there was a secret cult around his tomb. On its tomb edículo was constructed, cella memoriae, as on the tomb of san Pedro. In their Ecclesiastical History Eusebio de Cesarea mentions a chart of Gayo, presbítero under Ceferino Pope (199 -), in which monuments put on the tomb of the apostles are mentioned both, one on Vatican the 217 choline and the other throughout the Way Ostiense.

Later, on that place, object of continuous peregrination from century I, Roman emperor Constantino (306 - 337) created a small basilica, to two kilometers of the Aureliana wall that surrounded Rome, leaving by the door of san Pablo, than is its name: fuori walls to him (outside the walls, extrawalls). This building has to include itself in the series of basilicas constructed by the emperor inside but mainly outside the city, and was the second constantiniana foundation in the time, after the cathedral dedicated to Rescuing Santo (the present Basilica of San Juan of Letrán). It was consecrated in November of 324 by Wild Pope I.

This basilica was oriented towards the west and had the entrance to the east, like the basilica of san Pedro in the Vatican. Of her the curve of the apse, visible is conserved only in the central altar of the present basilica. One was due to deal with a small building, probably of three ships, that it had near the apse the tomb of Pablo, adorned by a cross sea bream.

The basilica of the three emperors

The small constantiniana construction had to mainly seem inadequate to the emperors who happened to him, from the optics of a revitalización of the figure of Pablo during the period of tetrarquía. It was very small, mainly if were compared it with the Basilica of san Pedro. For that reason it was destroyed to give rise to a great basilica with five ships, more similar to the Vatican basilica.

Under the joint reign of emperors Teodosio I (379 - 395), Graciano (367 - 383) and Valentiniano II ([[375 - 392) the basilica was erected whose structure will remain still on until the disastrous fire of 1823. This basilica had to the East the Way Ostiense (the highway towards Ostia) reason why was necessary to extend it towards the West, towards the Tíber river, changing diametrically the direction. The entrance was invested towards the Tíber river, instead of towards the way Ostiense, and this is the present direction, using the present basilica leaves from the structures murals that survived the fire.

In 384, Valentiniano II decided the beginning of the works, as it gives to evidence a chart directed by the emperor to the prefect of the city of Rome, Salustio, that was in charge of the study of the works. This building is called “Teodosiano”, although it was finished under Honorio. It was constructed by Cirade, call “Professor Mechanicus” that projected a plan of five ships and a porch with four 4 arcs. Siricio Pope consecrated the building.

Later additions, like the triumphal arc on monumental columns and the splendid mosaic decorated that it, respectively attribute to the restorations conducted by Placidia Finery (390 - 450) and other operations of Pope Leon I the Great one (440 - 461). Placidia finery, daughter of Teodosio and wife of Honorio, added the mosaic of the triumph arc, that will recover between centuries VIII and IX. On the other hand, Pope Leon I ordered the accomplishment of the tondos with papal pictures that crossed all the arches of the central ship; some of them, who survived the fire, are conserved in the Raccolta de Rossi, in the old monastery, next to recovered others throughout the centuries. Nowadays these pictures can be seen, in friso that extends on the columns that separate the four ships and corridors. To Leon the Great one also attributes the elevation of transepto, for which it was necessary to raise the devotional place corresponding to the tomb of the apostle.

Christian poet Prudencio (348-h. 413) describe to the esplendores of the monument in a few but expresivas lines. It was also dedicated to the Taurino saints and Herculano, martyrs of Ostia in century V, was called the basilica to him trium Dominorum “basilica of the three gentlemen”.

Of the old basilica it is only the inner portion of the apse with the triumphal arc and the mosaics of this last one.

The basilica of Great Gregorio to century XIX

Under pontificado of Great Gregorio I (590 - 604) the basilica it was modified drastically. The level of the pavement rose, mainly in the presbiterial sector, to directly realize the altar on the tomb of Pablo. A similar operation became in the Basilica of San Pedro. This way a confession, that is to say, a small access put under the level of transepto could also be realized, from where it could be acceded to the tomb of the apostle.

At this time there were two monasteries near the basilica: San Aristo for men and San Esteban for women. The services were taken care of by a special body of clergymen that had been instituted by Pope Simplicio (M. h. 483). With time, the monasteries and the clergymen of the basilica decayed; the Pope Gregorio II (M. 731) recovered first and trusted to the monks the care of the basilica.

The basilica was sacked by the lombardos in 739. The Popes continued being generous with the monastery; the basilica was again damaged during the sarracenas invasions of century IX, being sacked in 847. For this reason, the Pope Juan VIII (820-882) fortified the basilica, the monastery, and the lodgings of the farmers, forming the city of Joannispolis, that still was remembered in century XIII.

937, when san Odón de Cluny went to Rome, Alberico II of Spoleto, Roman patricio, trusted the monastery and the basilica to its congregation and Odón named to Balduino de Monte Cassino.

The Pope Gregorio VII (h. 1020-1085) were abbot of the monastery and at his time Pantaleone de Amalfi it appeared the bronze doors of the greater basilica, than they were executed by artists of Constantinople.

The graceful cloister of the monastery was elevated between 1220 and 1241.

The basilica became rich with a baldaquino realized in 1285 by Arnolfo I gave Exchange. To this century the mosaics of the apse also belong. Sacristía contains a beautiful statue of Pope Bonifacio IX (1356-1404). Pope Martín V (h. 1368-1431) trusted the monks of Congregation Cassino the Mount. Then a territorial abbey or abbey became nullius. The abbot jurisdiction extended on the districts of Civitella San Paolo, Leprignano and Nazzano, which formed parishes; the parish of San Pablo in Rome, nevertheless, is under the jurisdiction of the vicarious cardinal.

The structure of the basilica did not undergo later exchanges until papado of Sixto V (1585 - 1590), which, aside from dismantling some structures around the altar, made discover the Gregorian confession creating a confession reconnoitering, that remained thus until the fire. This confession was oriented towards the apse, unlike the present one, oriented towards the ships.

From 1215 to 1964 it was soothes of the Latin Patriarch of Alexandria.

The present superior is Edmund Power, Order of San Benito

Reconstruction

During the pontificado one of Pope Pío VII, at night from the 15 to the 16 of 1823 July, a fire destroyed the building most of, leaving incólume the cloister. The fire began by the negligence of a worker who was repairing the lead of the tile roof. This way it was practically destroyed the basilica, the unique one between all the churches of Rome that had conserved its primitive character during 1435 years.

They were few structures still on. Great part of the walls had to be reconstructed. Then the debate on the several theories of restoration was very advanced, in spite of which the architects in charge of the workings preferred to reconstruct a completely new basilica, in such a way that the visitors hardly can recognize in the present construction the design of a basilica of end of century IV.

Pope Leon XII took care of the reconstruction of the building. He chose himself to keep the paleo-christian plan and to construct a new building. Santa Sede chose the project of Giuseppe Valadier, but the Commission for the reconstruction trusted the works to Pasquale Belli. His death, it followed the works Luigi Poletti.

Everybody contributed to the restoration. The virrey of Egypt sent alabaster pillars, the emperor of Russia precious malachite and lapis lazuli of the tabernacle. The work in the main facade, that watches the Tíber, was finished by the Italian government, who declared the church a national monument.

The final result, although keeping the tipología from paleo-christian basilica, is much of the building of Teodosio.

The windows of the central ship were covered to add scenes of the life of san Pablo in two series of mosaics. All the irregularities were suppressed (twisted columns, scenery under the arcs…). The smooth marble pavement was replaced by another geometric one.

The mosaic of the facade, of century XI, was replaced by one new one, moved away of cánones esthetic paleo-christian. Tails of the first mosaic are visible behind the triumph arc.

The present basilica is a neoclassic building, style that take its references from the High Empire, and nonpaleo-christian, that is to say, an art of Delayed Seniority.

The construction measures of length 131.66 meters, 65 of width and 29.70 of stop. He is imposing and it is, in size, second of the four patriarchal basilicas of Rome.

In their interior, the ships and transepto have tondos containing the efigies of all the Pontiffs, from San Pedro to present Benedicto XVI.

Annexes to the basilica are the cloister and the monastery.

Excavation of the tomb of San Pablo

One assumes that the basilica was based indeed on the tomb of Pablo de Tarso. The chronicle of the monastery benedictine together with the basilica mentions, when speaking of the reconstruction subsequent to the fire, that was great sarcófago of marble upon which there were two slabs or tables of wood with the words “Paulo Apostolo Martyri” (To Pablo, the Apostle and Martyr). Nevertheless, unlike other sarcófagos that were then, it was not mentioned in the papers of the excavation.

The 6 of December of 2006, announced that archeologists of the Vatican were shortage, behind the altar, sarcófago that perhaps contains the tails of the apostle. There was a press conference the 11 of December 2006 that gave more details of the work of the excavation, that lasted from 2002 to the 22 of September of 2006, and that it began after the pilgrims to the basilica during the jubilee year of 2000 would express their deception by not being able to visit or to touch the tomb of the apostle. It has to be decided if to examine the interior of sarcófago to see his contains human tails. In fact, sarcófago not yet has removed from its position, so that one of its two lateral Straits only can be seen.

One curved line of bricks indicating the profile of the apse of the basilica of Constantino went reconnoitering immediately to the west of sarcófago, showing that the original basilica had its entrance to the east.

Gallery

Curiosity

During the diverse excavations of first half of century XIX until today they have surfaced more than 1700 flagstones with inscriptions, that served as tablets the other 5,000 graves that calculate that they are still under the pavement of the basilica. The martiriales basilicas, not only in Rome, were used from century IV in future like enormous covered cemeteries, with a dense stratification and numerous cases of “tomb thefts”.

References

1. ↑ Asia News: Saint Paul' s sarcophagus found
2. ↑ Catholic News Agency: St burial Paul pleases “confirmed”
3. ↑ Communiqué about the press conference
4. ↑ Associated Press: Have St. Paul' s remains been unearthed?
5. ↑ Christian Fraser, St Paul's tomb unearthed in Rome, BBC News, 7 December 2006

External Links

• 'Papal basilica of San Pablo Extramuros'
• Churches of Rome
• Wikimedia Commons lodges content multimedia on Basilica of San Pablo Extramuros.Commons

• Page on the basilica
• Catholic encyclopedia
• Aerial photo of the Basilica of San Pedro Extramuros
• 'The Vatican announces the discovery of the tomb of san Pablo'