Monday, February 25, 2019

St. HIPPOLYTUS OF ROME

S. IPPOLITO
1933/34 Clemente Busiri Vici (1887/1965) for Pius XI Ratti (1922/39)
It is managed by the diocesan clergy since 1985
“Stations of the Cross” 1934/38 by Domenico Mastroianni (1876/1962)

MAIN ALTAR
Altarpiece “Glory of St. Hippolytus” 1950 by Orazio Amato (1884/1952), who featured in the painting the faces of the Minor Capuchin Friars from Piedmont residing in the parish at the time
On the sides canvas “Eucharistic Miracle of St. Clare of Assisi” and “St. Lawrence of Brindisi” 1960 by Franco Casetti

TRANSEPT
Canvas “St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of Italy with Pius XII kneeling” 1941, and “Our Lady of Lourdes” 1940 by Gustavo Solimene
Around the canvas “Ten artistic graffiti” 1965 by Luciano Vinardi who also designed the “Forty-three stained glass windows” of the church in the years 1963/64
“Bronze angels” by Corrado Vigni (1888/?)
When the foundations of a building nearby were dug, it was discovered a branch of the

Catacomba di S. Ippolito

Catacomb of St. Hippolytus
Entrance in Via dei Canneti
Explored by Antonio Bosio at the end of the sixteenth century and by G.B. De Rossi in the nineteenth century
Five levels of which only the median is accessible
It was badly damaged during World War II because it was used as a bomb shelter
The oldest part is the one that was dug around the UNDERGROUND BASILICA built by Pope Vigilius (537/555) around the tomb of the martyr Hippolytus (about 170/235)
In 1553 a “Statue of St. Hippolytus” was found which is now in the Vatican Library
It has been proved, however, by Margherita Guarducci that the statue is a reconstruction made in the third century AD of various statues of the second century AD, later completed with the missing parts by Pirro Ligorio (about 1513/83) who had found the statue

St. Hippolytus was a controversial figure of the Roman Church at the beginning of the third century AD, considered by the ancient sources as a priest, a bishop, a soldier, an anti-heretical writer, a theologian, an antipope and a martyr
He was exiled to Sardinia in the year 235 by the Emperor Maximinus Thrax (235/238) with Pope Pontian (230/235), with whom he had reconciled, having recognized him as the legitimate pope. Both died working in the mines

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