San Paolo alle Tre Fontane
 Exterior view |
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| Basic data | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| place | Rome, Italy |
| diocese | Archdiocese of Rome |
| Patronage | Saint Paul of Tarsus |
| Building history | |
| architect | Giacomo della Porta |
| Function and title | |
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| 41 ° 50 '2 " N , 12 ° 29' 3.3" E | |
San Paolo alle Tre Fontane is a Roman Catholic titular deaconry and monastery church in the Roman quarter of Ardeatino . It is the oldest of the three churches within the Trappist Abbey of Tre Fontane .
history
The church stands on what was previously called ad aquas salvias and where, according to tradition, Saint Paul was beheaded. According to a legend, the head jumped to the ground three times, and it was there that the three springs that give the church its name sprang. However, the sources were already known in pre-Christian times.
In the 6th century the first church was built here at the will of the Byzantine general Narsete and was dependent on the monastery of St. Paul Outside the Walls on Via Ostiense.
This church was rebuilt by Giacomo della Porta between 1599 and 1601 on behalf of Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini .
description
On the architrave on the facade is written: S. Pauli apostoli martyrii locus ubi tres fontes mirabiliter eruperunt (“Place of the martyrdom of St. Apostle Paul, where three springs erupted in a miraculous way”). Above are statues of Saints Paul and Peter and the coat of arms of Aldobrandini.
A small vestibule leads to the interior of the church. It consists of a single transept with two side chapels, where the fountains are in three niches. At the first spring is the column to which Saint Paul was attached when he was beheaded.
In 1867 the church was under Pope Pius IX. restored. On this occasion, a large polychrome mosaic from the 2nd century with images of the four seasons was installed.
On November 20, 2010 the church was opened by Pope Benedict XVI. elevated to title diakonia with the bull Purpuratis Patribus .
Cardinal deacons
The only title holder so far is:
- Mauro Piacenza , Major Cardinal Penitentiary , since November 20, 2010
literature
- M. Armellini, Le Chiese di Roma dal secolo IV al XIX, Rome, 1891, pp 938-940, .
- C. Rendina, Le Chiese di Roma , Newton & Compton Editori, Rome 2000, pp. 283-284 ISBN 978-88-541-1833-1
