Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura (Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls)

The Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura is one of the four major basilicas in Rome. (Can you guess the other 3?) I'll give you a clue, I've written postings that have discussed all 3. They are... Santa Maria Maggiore, St. John Lateran and, of course, St. Peter's.

On Saturday we visited the only one we had yet to see while we've been here - St. Paul's. http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_paolo/index_en.html Mostly, this has been because - as the name implies - St. Paul's is outside of the City limits and requires a bit more work to get to. But after a quick bus and then train ride, we were there in no time.

Just as with St. Peter's Basilica, St. Paul's was built on that spot because it is the place where St. Paul was buried. In the early 300s (after the end of christian persecutions), Emperor Constantine ordered the excavation of the cella memoriae. According to the church history, this was "the place where Christians venerated the memory of Saint Paul the Apostle, beheaded under Nero around 65-67 A.D." Here, about 2 km outside of the Aurelian Wall that surrounds Rome, on the Ostiense Way, Constantine built a Basilica in St. Paul's honor.

Sadly, "on the night of July 15, 1823, a fire destroyed this unique testimony to the Paleo-Christian, Byzantine, Renaissance and Baroque periods. The Basilica was reconstructed identically to what it had been before, utilizing all the elements which had survived the fire. [And] In 1840 Pope Gregory XVI consecrated the Altar of the Confession and the Transept."

Despite the tragedy that struck, what must only have been a magnificent church, what stands in its place today is a beautiful and sacred space that is admired by pilgrims from all over the world. We were fortunate to visit. And even more so that we were able to visit St. Paul's during the Pauline Year - a year commemorating the bimillennium of the birth of Saint Paul. (Interesting note, in honor of the Pauline Year, the faithful who visit St. Paul's may receive a plenary indulgence for themselves or the deceased. http://www.annopaolino.org/Indulgenza%20ING.pdf)

We enjoyed the church. Some of our favorite elements were:

- the front courtyard area which is a little oasis in and of itself. We were fortunate that our visit was on a cool clear day and we were able to spend some time out in this space.

- the tomb of St. Paul who was martyred between 65 and 67 AD. This lies below the Papal Altar.

- the doors (both the monumental central door and new holy door in honor of the Jubilee year.

- the mosaics around the church and in particular the apse mosaic

- and the portrait mosaic of every pope throughout history.

Oh, wait, Celia and Augustine also enjoyed:

- "talking on the phone" ... (these receivers give a history of the Basilica for 1 euro. )

- running - despite the fact that they were told not to - down the long aisles

- pointing out the priests arriving for vespers

- and laying on the smooth marble floor (again, not an approved activity)

Here's one outside shot Celia took of me and CJ.