A few years ago when we were in Rome Paul and I came upon this church near the Palazzo Colonna . . . it looked interesting (I know . . . what old church in Rome doesn't look interesting?) but we were unable to enter as there was a service underway.
On my recent trip to Rome I wandered past the church as I fled the crush of crowds near the Trevi Fountain. This time it was open but visiting hours had ended. What to do?
I noticed other people in the church wandering around. They looked like tourists so of course I went in. I think that the reason why it was still open was because of a group of women arranging the flowers for the upcoming Easter services.
Whatever the reason I was happy to wander about.
The Basilica of Santissimi Apostoli, the Holy Apostles, is a large church that hosts the bodies of the disciples of Jesus, Philip and James the Less. It was built in the 4th century by Pope Julius I, it was the only Roman church not to be built on the site of a previous ancient building, although building materials came from the Constantine Baths., the original plan was that of the Apostoleion in Constantinople. During the Byzantine era, under Pope Pelagius I and the rule of Narses, it was reconstructed with a greek-cross plan. Adrian I writes to Charlemagne praising this building for its width and its amazing mosaics. In 1348 it was destroyed by an earthquake and only the two sculpted gate lions survive from that building.
The two Renaissance cloisters contain a bas-relief of the Nativity by the school of A.di Cambio.
The interior, divided into three wide naves by big pilasters and matching Corinthian pilaster strips, with three chapels per side, each one roofed by a dome, ends up being splendid for the decorations and frescoes. This was the tomb of Clemente XIV by Canova.
There were stairs heading downwards on either side of the altar. They weren't blocked and since I was already wandering the church when it was supposed to be closed I headed down. There I found a crypt which isn't as old as it appears. Designed to look like an ancient a catacomb even though catacombs were never allowed within the city walls. During this construction in 1879 the remains of the apostles Philip and James were found in an ancient crypt underneath the church. They had rested there fro 1200 years.
Another interesting feature of this church is a monument to Michelangelo. When he died in Rome his body rested in the church for a short period of time prior to being returned to Florence.
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