St. STEPHEN OF THE CACCO

S. STEFANO DEL CACCO
Via di S. Stefano del Cacco 26

Built in the early ninth century at the time of Paschal I (817/824) on the site of the TEMPLE OF ISIS (Iseum Campense)

The name of the church comes from the statue of the dog-headed god Thoth found here, now in the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican and mistaken for a macacco or a macaque monkey

Also known as S. Stefano in Pinea (St. Stephen in Pinea) from the pigna (pine cone) symbol of the district represented on top of the bell tower

 Restorations at the beginning of the twelfth century at the time of Paschal II (1099/1118)

Romanesque BELL TOWER with a bell dating back to 1480 and PORCH added about 1160 at the behest of the brothers Nicola and Quinzio Papareschi, nephews of Pope Innocent II Papareschi (1130/1143)

Restorations in the years 1607/17 and 1638/43 by Antonio Canziani who maybe designed​​the FRONT and Matteo Riva for the Sylvestrine monks to whom the church had been assigned in 1563 by Pope Pius IV Medici (1559/65)

PORTAL in travertine maybe by Paolo Marucelli (1594/1649)

Other restorations in 1725 and 1865

FLOOR
1865 with marble pieces from the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, destroyed by fire in 1823

VAULT
Ornamental reliefs and fresco “Trinity and St. Sylvester in glory” 1857 by an unknown nineteenth-century artist

TO THE RIGHT OF THE ENTRANCE
“Tomb of the architect Ludovico Rusconi Sassi” d. 1736

NAVE
Twelve ancient columns reused here maybe from the Temple of Isis
Organ dating back to 1642

1^st RIGHT - CHAPEL OF THE GUARDIAN ANGEL
Above the altar “Guardian Angel” eighteenth-century copy from the original by Pietro da Cortona exhibited in the National Gallery of Ancient Art at the Barberini Palace

2^nd RIGHT - CHAPEL OF St. JOSEPH
Above the altar “Death of St. Joseph” by an unknown eighteenth-century artist

ON THE RIGHT WALL AFTER THE 2nd CHAPEL
Fresco “Pietà” 1519 by Pietro Bonaccorsi aka Perin del Vaga (1501/47) heavily restored also with the addition of the landscape that surrounds it

It is the first extant solo work by Perin del Vaga and it was executed soon after his collaboration with Raphael in the Vatican Loggia

“Here Perino, apart from the obvious inspiration from the group by Michelangelo in St. Peter's, is showing the narrative and dramatic power of Raphael and Giulio Romano not in the sense of emotional expression but mainly in grace and ornament” (Antonio Vannugli)

AT THE END OF THE RIGHT AISLE
Altar with devotional picture “Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted” in wood dressed with silk dress, maybe dating to the seventeenth century. Tradition has it that this image wept on July 9, 1796 shortly before the invasion of the French soldiers of Napoleon

APSE
Originally there were mosaics dating from the time of Paschal I (817/824), destroyed in 1607 and replaced by the current decoration
At the center “Martyrdom of St. Stephen” about 1585 by Cesare Nebbia (1536/1614)
On the sides “St. Charles Borromeo” and “St. Frances of Rome” about 1610 by Cristoforo Casolani (1587/1629), a pupil of Cristoforo Roncalli aka Pomarancio
“Golden stuccos” 1608 by Rocco Solari
“Choir in walnut wood” 1668 by the Cecconali brothers

AT THE END OF THE LEFT AISLE
“Wooden Crucifix” beginning of the seventeenth century and ruined fresco “Saints” maybe by Cristoforo Casolani (1587/1629)

3^rd CHAPEL ON THE LEFT
Above the altar “St. Matthew” and frescoes on spandrels and dome by Cesare Mariani (1826/1901)

2^nd CHAPEL ON THE LEFT
Above the altar “St. Benedict delivers the rule to St. Sylvester” maybe by Carlo Maratta (1625/1713)
On the left “Miraculous healing by St. Sylvester” and on the right “St. Sylvester receives communion from the Virgin Mary” by Cesare Mariani
Frescoes on the lunettes and on the side walls by Cesare Mariani

1^st CHAPEL ON THE LEFT
Above the altar modern “Holy Face”
Stuccos by G.B. Ferrabosco
On the left “Sts. Charles Borromeo and Filippo Neri” and on the right “Sts. Stephen and Paul the First Hermit” 1639 two late works by Giovanni Baglione (1566/1643)

SACRISTY
Altar piece “St. Nicholas” 1695 by Giovanni Odazzi (1663/1731) formerly in the third chapel on the left
Oval panel “St. Aurea taken to martyrdom” by Luigi Garzi (1638/1721)
Preparatory sketch “Birth of the Virgin Mary” maybe by Sebastiano Conca (1680/1764)

MONASTERY
General Curia (headquarters) of the Sylvestrine Fathers
“St. Stephen” by Giovanni De Vecchi (about 1537/1615)
“Adoration of the Magi” by the painter from Antwerp Jan Miel (1599/1663)