San Silvestro in Capite
Encyclopedia
The Church of Saint Sylvester in Capite is a Roman Catholic minor basilica
and titular church in
Rome
dedicated to Pope Saint Sylvester I. Built in the 8th century as a shrine for the relics of the saints and martyrs from the Catacombs, the church is the National church of Great Britain
.
The Latin
words "in capite" refer to a fragment of the head of St. John the Baptist, putatively kept as a relic
, in a chapel
to the left of the entrance. A second Roman church dedicated to Saint Sylvester is San Silvestro al Quirinale
.
The Cardinal-Priest of the titulus is Desmond Connell
.
and Pope Stephen III
, atop ruins of a pagan temple dedicated to Apollo
, to house venerated relics of early Christian saints who were buried in the catacombs
. The church was rebuilt and the campanile
with Romanesque arcades added in 1198 during the papacy of Innocent III, while in the 13th century the church was donated to the Poor Clares.
It was rebuilt by the architects Francesco da Volterra
and Carlo Maderno
during 1591-1601, and subsequently restored in 1681. The relics of Pope Sylvester I, Pope Stephen I
and Pope Dionysius were exhumed and re-enshrined beneath the high altar when the new church was consecrated in 1601. The church also contains the relics of Saint Tarcisius
.
The church of San Silvestro was granted to the English Catholics by Pope Leo XIII
in 1890, and is now served by Irish Pallottine Fathers
. Mass is thus regularly celebrated in the English language. The church is the National Church in Rome
of Great Britain
.
The Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Silvestri in Capite is Desmond Connell
, former Archbishop of Dublin
. He was appointed on February 21, 2001 to succeed Basil Hume. It also serves as a church for the Philippine Community in Rome.
and narthex
, which isolates the church from the busy square outside. There are fragments of early Christian sculpture, many with inscriptions, embedded in the walls of the atrium.
The facade has an unusual giant order topped with four baroque statues (1703):San Silvestro
by Lorenzo Ouone, Saint Stephen
by Michelangelo Borgognone, Saint Clare
by Giuseppe Mazzoni and Saint Francis
by Vincenzo Felice.
. The interior is rich in marble, gilding, and artistic decoration.
The nave has an Assumption with Saints frescoed (1680) by Giacinto Brandi
. The main altar carved ciborium
or canopy (1667) by Carlo Rainaldi
. The cupola was frescoed (1605) by Cristoforo Roncalli
. A Martyrdom of San Stephan I and a Messengers of Costantine call on San Silvestro (1610) were frescoed in the apse by Orazio Borgianni
. In the baptistry apse, there is a Baptism of Costantine by Ludovico Gimignani
. The transept has a History of San Silvestro (1690) also by Gimignani, and a Madonna with Child by Baccio Ciarpi
.
In the first chapel to the right is a Madonna with child & Saint Anthony of Padua & Stephan I and other saints (1695) by Giuseppe Chiari. In the second chapel is a Saint Francis receives stigmata (1610) by Orazio Gentileschi
accompanied by paintings of the life of the saint by Luigi Garzi
. In the third, a Pentecost by Giuseppe Ghezzi
. The left transept has a Madonna & child by Terenzio Terenzi
. In the third chapel on the left is a fresco of the Immaculate Conception by Gimignani. On the walls are an Adoration by the Magi and Visitation by the Milanese il Morrazzone
. In the second chapel is a Pope San Marcello has a vision of the Sacred Family and a Transit and Glory of San Giuseppe by Gimignani. In the first chapel are canvases of the Passion (1695) by Francesco Trevisani
.
A convent
, dedicated to Pope Sylvester I and Pope Stephen I
(Saint Stephen I), was built adjacent to the church. The nuns remained in that convent until 1876 when they were dispossessed. The convent has recently been renovated and continues to serve as the main Post Office of Rome.
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
and titular church in
Churches of Rome
There are more than 900 churches in Rome. Most, but not all, of these are Roman Catholic, with some notable Roman Catholic Marian churches.The first churches of Rome originated in places where Christians met. They were divided into three categories:...
Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
dedicated to Pope Saint Sylvester I. Built in the 8th century as a shrine for the relics of the saints and martyrs from the Catacombs, the church is the National church of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
The Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
words "in capite" refer to a fragment of the head of St. John the Baptist, putatively kept as a relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
, in a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
to the left of the entrance. A second Roman church dedicated to Saint Sylvester is San Silvestro al Quirinale
San Silvestro al Quirinale
San Silvestro al Quirinale is a historic church in central Rome, Italy.-History:The first mentions of a church on the site are from 1039, when it was called Santo Stefano in Cavallo in recognition of its site on Monte Cavallo, a small hill in the Campo Marzio.In 1507, the church was granted to the...
.
The Cardinal-Priest of the titulus is Desmond Connell
Desmond Connell
Desmond Connell is a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. He is a former Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. He was born in Dublin....
.
History
The original church was built in the 8th century by Pope Paul IPope Paul I
Pope Paul I was pope from May 29, 757 to June 28, 767. He first served as a Roman deacon and was frequently employed by his brother, Pope Stephen II, in negotiations with the Lombard kings....
and Pope Stephen III
Pope Stephen III
Pope Stephen III was pope from August 1 or August 7, 768 to January 24, 772. He was a native of Sicily.He came to Rome during the pontificate of Gregory III and gradually rose to high office in the service of successive popes....
, atop ruins of a pagan temple dedicated to Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
, to house venerated relics of early Christian saints who were buried in the catacombs
Catacombs
Catacombs, human-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place can be described as a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman empire...
. The church was rebuilt and the campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
with Romanesque arcades added in 1198 during the papacy of Innocent III, while in the 13th century the church was donated to the Poor Clares.
It was rebuilt by the architects Francesco da Volterra
Francesco da Volterra
Francesco da Volterra was an Italian painter. He resided in Pisa from 1370–1372, where, from the records of the Campo Santo, he painted the History of Job on the south wall...
and Carlo Maderno
Carlo Maderno
Carlo Maderno was a Swiss-Italian architect, born in Ticino, who is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. His façades of Santa Susanna, St. Peter's Basilica and Sant'Andrea della Valle were of key importance in the evolution of the Italian Baroque...
during 1591-1601, and subsequently restored in 1681. The relics of Pope Sylvester I, Pope Stephen I
Pope Stephen I
Pope Saint Stephen I served as Bishop of Rome from 12 May 254 to 2 August 257.Of Roman birth but of Greek ancestry, he became bishop of Rome in 254, having served as archdeacon of Pope Lucius I, who appointed Stephen his successor....
and Pope Dionysius were exhumed and re-enshrined beneath the high altar when the new church was consecrated in 1601. The church also contains the relics of Saint Tarcisius
Saint Tarcisius
St. Tarcisius was a martyr of the early Christian church who lived in the 3rd century...
.
The church of San Silvestro was granted to the English Catholics by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
in 1890, and is now served by Irish Pallottine Fathers
Pallottines
The Society of the Catholic Apostolate , better known as the Pallottines, are a Society of Apostolic Life within the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1835 by the Roman priest Saint Vincent Pallotti. Pallottines are part of the Union of Catholic Apostolate and are present in 45 countries on six...
. Mass is thus regularly celebrated in the English language. The church is the National Church in Rome
National churches in Rome
Charitable institutions attached to churches in Rome were founded right through the medieval period and included hospitals, hostels and others providing assistance to pilgrims to Rome from a certain "nation", which thus became these nations' national churches in Rome...
of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
The Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Silvestri in Capite is Desmond Connell
Desmond Connell
Desmond Connell is a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. He is a former Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. He was born in Dublin....
, former Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church of Ireland has a similar role, heading the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In both cases, the Archbishop is also Primate of Ireland...
. He was appointed on February 21, 2001 to succeed Basil Hume. It also serves as a church for the Philippine Community in Rome.
Exterior
The church has an atriumAtrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
and narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
, which isolates the church from the busy square outside. There are fragments of early Christian sculpture, many with inscriptions, embedded in the walls of the atrium.
The facade has an unusual giant order topped with four baroque statues (1703):San Silvestro
San Silvestro
San Silvestro can refer to:*San Silvestro in Capite, church in Rome*San Silvestro al Quirinale, church in Rome...
by Lorenzo Ouone, Saint Stephen
Saint Stephen
Saint Stephen The Protomartyr , the protomartyr of Christianity, is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Churches....
by Michelangelo Borgognone, Saint Clare
Saint Clare
Saint Clare may refer to:*Saint Clare of Assisi, founder of the Poor Clares and companion of Saint Francis of Assisi*Saint Clare of the Cross or Clare of Montefalco, 13th-century Italian abbess...
by Giuseppe Mazzoni and Saint Francis
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
by Vincenzo Felice.
Interior
It is believed that the high altar, which predates the present church, was influenced by the style of MichelangeloMichelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni , commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer who exerted an unparalleled influence on the development of Western art...
. The interior is rich in marble, gilding, and artistic decoration.
The nave has an Assumption with Saints frescoed (1680) by Giacinto Brandi
Giacinto Brandi
Giacinto Brandi was an Italian painter of the Baroque era, active mainly in Rome and Naples.Born in Poli, in the Lazio, he was trained in Rome in the studio of Alessandro Algardi, a noted sculptor, who noted that Brandi was more suited to painting. He joined the studio of Giovanni Giacomo Sementi...
. The main altar carved ciborium
Ciborium (architecture)
In ecclesiastical architecture, a ciborium is a canopy or covering supported by columns, freestanding in the sanctuary, that stands over and covers the altar in a basilica or other church. It may also be known by the more general term of baldachin, though ciborium is often considered more correct...
or canopy (1667) by Carlo Rainaldi
Carlo Rainaldi
Carlo Rainaldi was an Italian architect of the Baroque period.Born in Rome, Rainaldi was one of the leading architects of 17th century Rome, known for a certain grandeur in his designs. He worked at first with his father, Girolamo Rainaldi, a late Mannerist architect in Rome. After his father's...
. The cupola was frescoed (1605) by Cristoforo Roncalli
Cristoforo Roncalli
Cristoforo Roncalli was an Italian mannerist painter. He was one of the three painters known as il Pomarancio.Roncalli was born in Pomarance, a town near Volterra...
. A Martyrdom of San Stephan I and a Messengers of Costantine call on San Silvestro (1610) were frescoed in the apse by Orazio Borgianni
Orazio Borgianni
Orazio Borgianni was an Italian painter and etcher of the Mannerist and early-baroque periods. He was the stepbrother of the sculptor and architect Giulio Lasso....
. In the baptistry apse, there is a Baptism of Costantine by Ludovico Gimignani
Ludovico Gimignani
Ludovico Gimignani was an Italian painter, active mainly in Rome, during the Baroque period.Ludovico's father, Giacinto had been one of the main pupils emerging from the loose "studio" of painters working for Pietro da Cortona and who also received patronage from his fellow Pistoia native, the...
. The transept has a History of San Silvestro (1690) also by Gimignani, and a Madonna with Child by Baccio Ciarpi
Baccio Ciarpi
Baccio Ciarpi was an Italian painter of the late-Mannerism and early-Baroque style. Born in Barga in Tuscany, he was active in Rome and Florence. He is best known for having mentored briefly Pietro da Cortona. He painted a number of canvases, including a Madonna del Rosario and Crucifixion with...
.
In the first chapel to the right is a Madonna with child & Saint Anthony of Padua & Stephan I and other saints (1695) by Giuseppe Chiari. In the second chapel is a Saint Francis receives stigmata (1610) by Orazio Gentileschi
Orazio Gentileschi
Orazio Lomi Gentileschi was an Italian Baroque painter, one of more important painters influenced by Caravaggio...
accompanied by paintings of the life of the saint by Luigi Garzi
Luigi Garzi
Luigi Garzi was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Born in Pistoia, and died in Rome, where he was one of the main pupils of Andrea Sacchi. He is also often referred to as Ludovico Garzi. In 1680 Garzi was appointed Regent of the Congregazione dei Virtuosi al Pantheon, the papal honor...
. In the third, a Pentecost by Giuseppe Ghezzi
Giuseppe Ghezzi
Giuseppe Ghezzi was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Rome.Born in Ascoli Piceno, Marche , he was the son and pupil of the painter Sebastiano Ghezzi. He painted in the style of Pietro da Cortona. Giuseppe Ghezzi was the first secretary in perpetuity for the Accademia di...
. The left transept has a Madonna & child by Terenzio Terenzi
Terenzio Terenzi
Terenzio Terenzi was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance or Mannerist period. Born near Pesaro, he is also known as Terenzio da Urbino or il Rondolino. He was a pupil of the painter Federigo Barocci...
. In the third chapel on the left is a fresco of the Immaculate Conception by Gimignani. On the walls are an Adoration by the Magi and Visitation by the Milanese il Morrazzone
Pier Francesco Mazzucchelli
Pier Francesco Mazzucchelli was an Italian painter of the early Baroque era in Milan....
. In the second chapel is a Pope San Marcello has a vision of the Sacred Family and a Transit and Glory of San Giuseppe by Gimignani. In the first chapel are canvases of the Passion (1695) by Francesco Trevisani
Francesco Trevisani
thumb|250px|Portrait of [[Pietro Ottoboni |Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni]] by Francesco Trevisani. The [[Bowes Museum]], [[Barnard Castle]], [[County Durham]], [[England]]....
.
Convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
, dedicated to Pope Sylvester I and Pope Stephen I
Pope Stephen I
Pope Saint Stephen I served as Bishop of Rome from 12 May 254 to 2 August 257.Of Roman birth but of Greek ancestry, he became bishop of Rome in 254, having served as archdeacon of Pope Lucius I, who appointed Stephen his successor....
(Saint Stephen I), was built adjacent to the church. The nuns remained in that convent until 1876 when they were dispossessed. The convent has recently been renovated and continues to serve as the main Post Office of Rome.
List of Cardinal-Priests since 1517
List of the cardinal titulars of the church
|
Francesco Scipione Maria Borghese Francesco Scipione Maria Borghese was an Italian cardinal from the Borghese family. He was elevated to cardinal by Pope Benedict XIII in the consistory of 6 July 1729.-Sources:* at... (31 March 1732 - 20 May 1743) François-Joachim de Pierre de Bernis François-Joachim de Pierre de Bernis was a French cardinal and statesman. He was the sixth member elected to occupy seat 3 of the Académie française in 1744.- Biography :... (26 June 1769 - 18 April 1774) Costantino Patrizi Naro Costantino Patrizi Naro JUD was a long-serving Italian Cardinal who became Dean of the College of Cardinals. Cardinal Benedetto Naro was his great-uncle.-Biography:... (21 November 1836 - 20 April 1849) Luigi Lavitrano Luigi Lavitrano was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Palermo from 1928 to 1944, and as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Religious from 1945 until his death... (19 December 1929 - 2 August 1950) Valerio Valeri Valerio Valeri was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Religious in the Roman Curia from 1953 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1953 by Pope Pius XII.President Charles de Gaulle insisted that Valeri be removed... (15 January 1953 - 22 July 1963) Desmond Connell Desmond Connell is a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church. He is a former Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. He was born in Dublin.... (21 February 2001 - Present ) |
External links
- "San Silvestro in Capite", by Chris Nyborg
- Official website of the vicariate of Rome