In the area there was an imperial villa built in about 230 with amphitheater for gladiators fights and circus for horse racing
In the early fourth century the so called PALATIUM SESSORIANUM was the private residence of the Empress Helena, mother of Constantine (306/337), who probably turned a large hall of the building into a church
A few decades later it was transformed into a Basilica, Eleniana or Sessoriana
It was transformed in 1145 by Lucius II (1144/45) who added the bell tower and it was modified again in the fifteenth and sixteenth century
The last modifications in 1743/44 were designed by the Roman architect Domenico Gregorini (1692/1777), a student of Filippo Juvarra, for Benedict XIV Lambertini (1740/58): he modified the aisle and created the masterpiece of elliptic atrium and façade
"The authorship of the façade that Melchiorre Passalacqua gives to the father Pietro, a grandson of Juvarra, finds no confirmation in the documents showing the name of Gregorini only" (Elizabeth Kieven)
"The façade unfolds as a corrugated screen, following the inflection of the singular elliptic inner vestibule, transparent structure that faces the walkway with a series of openings alternating lintels and arches, illuminated by guided lights influenced by Juvarra" (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)
FLOOR
Cosmatesque, from the twelfth century
At both sides of the entrance of the "Marble holy water fonts" end of fifteenth century
CEILING
"Virgin introduces St. Helena and Constantine to the Trinity" 1744 by Corrado Giaquinto (1703/66) very elegant architect from Apulia Region, artistically educated in Naples
"He represents one of the most interesting personalities of the Rococo style. He is distinguished by a precious approach, full of subtleties in form and refined seemingly changing colors" (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)
RIGHT NAVE
2nd CHAPEL ON THE RIGHT
"St. Bernardo humiliates the antipope Victor IV in front of Innocent II (1130/43)" 1660/65 by Carlo Maratta (1625/1713)
3rd CHAPEL ON THE RIGHT
"Vision of St. Robert's mother" by Raffaello Vanni (1587/1673) from Siena
PRESBYTERY
"Ciborium" of the eighteenth century by Domenico Gregorini
"The genial torsion of the frames is among the greatest inventions of the late Baroque period and it underscores its persistent vitality" (Paolo Portoghesi)
Urn under the altar with the bodies of Sts. Cesareo and Anastasio
In the VAULT
"Appearance of the Cross" about 1744 by Corrado Giaquinto
APSE
"Tomb of Cardinal Francis Quinones" 1536 Jacopo Tatti aka Jacopo Sansovino (1486/1570) and on the "Tabernacle" in marble and bronze with statues "David" (right), "Solomon" (left) and "Angels" by Carlo Maderno (1556/1629)
"Monument of Cardinal Carvajal" 1523
Frescoes on the sides "Stories of Moses" 1749/51 by Corrado Giaquinto
In the SEMI-DOME
"Invention of the Holy Cross by St. Helena and its recovery by Heraclius" and above "Christ blessing between cherubims" about 1492 maybe by Antonio Aquili aka Antoniazzo Romano (1452/1508)
LEFT NAVE
3rd CHAPEL ON THE LEFT
"St. Sylvester and Constantine" 1675 by Luigi Garzi (1638/1721)
1st CHAPEL ON THE LEFT
"Incredulity of St. Thomas" about 1675 by Giuseppe Passeri (1654/1714)
CHAPEL OF St. HELENA
In the vault wonderful mosaic "Jesus, Evangelists, four stories of the Cross, Saints and Symbols of the Passion" remake (maybe about 1484) maybe by Melozzo Ambrosi aka Melozzo from Forlì (1438/94) or (maybe about 1510) by Baldassarre Peruzzi (1481/1536) of the lost original from the time of Valentinian III (435/455)
Roman altar statue "Juno" found at Ostia Antica and transformed into St. Helena
Frescoes on the walls painted at the end of sixteenth century by Niccolò Circignani aka Pomarancio (about 1520/98)
Under the floor a few bags of the earth from Mount Calvary were scattered, hence the name of the church in Gerusalemme
The entrance to the chapel is forbidden to women who may enter only once a year: every 20 March, the day of the dedication of the chapel
GREGORIAN CHAPEL
1520, altar with reliefs "Pietà" beginning of seventeenth century
CHAPEL OF THE RELICS
1930 by Florestano Di Fausto (1890/1965)
"Reliquary" by Giuseppe Valadier (1762/1839) containing some of the most precious catholic relics:
Three small pieces of Jesus' Cross
A nail
Part of the Titulus Crucis, the writing INRI written in the Latin, Greek and Hebrew: it actually dates to the eleventh century as it was proved in 2002 with an examination with carbon-14
The sponge that was soaked in vinegar
Two thorns from Christ's crown
Fragments of the grotto of Bethlehem, of the Holy Sepulchre and of the column of flagellation
A finger of St. Thomas
A big piece of the cross of one of the two thieves
MUSEUM
Frescoes that originally decorated the central nave dated approximately to 1150
A Giottesque "Crucifixion"
"Two statuettes of St. Peter and St. Paul" of the fourteenth century
Codes and furnishings
CONVENT
To the right of the basilica. It was founded about 980 by Pope Benedict VII of the Counts of Tusculum (974/983)
It was enlarged in the sixteenth century, in 1743 and in the years 1756/60 by Melchiorre Passalaqua son of Pietro
HALL OF THE SESSORIANA LIBRARY
1724 Sebastiano Cipriani (about 1660/1740) with vault frescoed 1724/27 by Giovanni Paolo Pannini (1691/1765)
"Monument to Benedict XIV" 1743 by Carlo Marchionni (1702/86)
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