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Basilica of Santa Pudenziana
The basilica of Santa Pudenziana, on the last stretch of the Via Urbana, a short distance from the church of S. Maria Maggiore, is one of Rome’s oldest churches. It is no accident that the church entrance is now much lower than current street level: the oldest building dates to the last years of the 4th century AD and the level of the ground in this area has since risen by several metres.
According to legend, certainly not lacking a grounding in truth albeit enriched by some fantastical elements, this area, famous for the presence of numerous aristocratic residences overlooking the vicus Patricius, was home to the domus owned by the senator Pudens, who was converted to Christianity by the Apostle Peter with his daughters Pudentiana and Praxedis (a nearby church is dedicated to the latter). Indeed, though it is impossible to confirm the owner’s identity, recent archaeological excavations have uncovered, beneath the church, the remains of a domus built on two levels, some of whose rooms can be visited. Some scholars have also attempted to identify the structures brought to light during restoration work in 1930, currently visible inside the church, as belonging to a phase of use as a bath building during the 3rd century. It was Pope Siricius who transformed the more ancient structures into a religious building dedicated to St Pudentiana in the last years of the 4th century.
One of the most fascinating features of the church is the magnificent mosaic decoration in the vault of the apse dating to the 4th century. Restored on numerous occasions, it has survived until the present in all its charm: it depicts Christ on his throne, holding an open book in his hands on whose pages we read the inscription “Dominus Conservator Ecclesiae Pudentianae”. Around him are the Apostles and Sts Praxedis and Pudentiana. In the background behind him we can make out Jerusalem, whilst above the Evangelists are represented as the “four living creatures of the Apocalypse” with whom the four evangelists were identified: Matthew, the man, represented as a winged angel, Mark, represented as a lion, Luke as an ox or a calf, a symbol of sacrifice, and finally John represented as an eagle.
The church’s decorative programme preserves evidence of some of the most important phases in the development of Christian art in Rome: the magnificent marble relief above the church portal dates to the late 11th century and is one of the finest medieval reliefs in Rome; the Marian oratory behind the church is frescoed with a magnificent painting cycle.
During renovation work in the 13th century the fine Romanesque bell tower with five orders was built to the left of the entrance. Also of enormous importance is the Caetani Chapel, built during the restorations of Francesco da Volterra and completed by Carlo Maderno in the late 16th century.
