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Santa Prisca, Rome

January 01, 1970

For the fictional country, see Santa Prisca (DC Comics). For the church in Taxco de Alarcón, Mexico, see Santa Prisca Church (Taxco).

Santa Prisca is a titular church of Rome, on the Aventine Hill, for Cardinal-priests. It is recorded as the Titulus Priscae in the acts of the 499 synod.

Santa Prisca
Church of Saint Prisca
Chiesa di Santa Prisca
The facade
Click on the map for a fullscreen view
41°52′59″N 12°29′02″E / 41.88307°N 12.48394°E / 41.88307; 12.48394
Location11 Via di Santa Prisca, Rome
CountryItaly
Language(s)Italian
DenominationCatholic
TraditionRoman Rite
Websitesantaprisca.it
History
Statustitular church
Founded12th century
DedicationSaint Prisca
Architecture
Architect(s)Carlo Francesco Lombardi
Architectural typeBaroque
Completed1728
Administration
DioceseRome

Church edit

It is devoted to Saint Prisca, a 1st-century martyr, whose relics are contained in the altar in the crypt. It was built in the 4th or 5th century over a temple of Mithras. Damaged in the Norman Sack of Rome, the church was restored several times. The current aspect is due to the 1660 restoration, which included a new facade by Carlo Lombardi. In the interior, the columns are the only visible remains of the ancient church. Also a baptismal font allegedly used by Saint Peter is conserved. The frescoes in the crypt, where an altar contains the relics of Saint Prisca, are by Antonio Tempesta. Anastasio Fontebuoni frescoed the walls of the nave with Saints and angels with the instruments of passion. In the sacristy hangs a painting of the Immaculate conception with angels by Giovanni Odazzi, and on the main altar a Baptism of Santa Prisca by Domenico Passignano.

Mithraeum edit

The Discovery of the Mithraeum edit

 
Inside the Mithraeum of Santa Prisca, Rome.

The Mithraeum under Santa Prisca was first discovered in 1934, having been excavated by Augustinians who had been in charge of the monastery. Excavations by the Dutch began in 1952–59. The original building was erected in ca. 95 CE and was originally a plot of land purchased by Trajan, who at the time was not yet emperor of Rome.[1] This had also served as Trajan's town house until his death in 117 A.D. One hundred years later, a member of the imperial family took over the building and built a Mithraeum in one part of the basement, while a Christian meeting place was established in the other section.

Upon beginning the excavations in 1952, the Dutch cleared away mounds of earth which were thought to have been a sort of trench.[1] During this period, many artifacts were discovered by the Dutch who made a careful record. Some of these discoveries included frescoes, mosaics, remains of various vases, stucco, as well as fragments of mosaic and brick.[1] The original Mithrauem had a central aisle, a niche, and side benches. Fine frescoes were found on the walls of the ancient Mithraeum as well as a stucco sculpture of Mithras the Bull Slayer, one of the main images of the Mithras cult. During the Dutch excavations in the 1950s, pieces of mosaic were found within the newly discovered rooms underneath Santa Prisca. Renovations in 220 yielded a larger central cult room and the addition of new ones while the frescoes were covered with new, more elaborate paintings. The frescoes often included writing underneath or around the work, which would describe what that fresco showed. This is something very unique to the Mithraic temple found at Santa Prisca. These paintings were also important to the development of understanding the Mithraic cult. Along with the typical bull slaying scene so commonly depicted amongst the cult, other paintings depicted different cult rituals. For example, one painting shows a procession of figures wearing masks and different colored tunics holding what has been presumed to be a piece of liturgical equipment.[2] These paintings have been mentioned in the long-standing debate about the admittance of women into the cult.[citation needed] Around 400, the Christians took over the Mithraeum, destroyed it and built Santa Prisca on top of it.

Paintings and Iconography in the Mithraeum of Santa Prisca edit

 
An example of a fresco depicting Mithra slaying the bull, seen at the Mithrauem in Marino, Italy.

The excavations of the Mithraeum by the Dutch in the mid 20th century proved to have found leftover fragments of frescoes. The Mithraeum had been embellished with paintings, and these frescoes, in particular, contain imagery and iconography which depict particular beliefs in the Mithraic cult as well as elements of initiation. One of the frescoes on the left wall within the Mithraeum of the Roman Church includes a depiction of a cult processional towards figures Mithra and Sol, with those participating in the cult holding various objects as they make their way to their deities.[3] Both the left and right walls in the Mithraeum of Santa Prisca have remnants of paintings which depict different scenes and include several figures; however, due to destruction, some of the images are difficult to make out. The left wall of the temple shows several walking male figures, some youthful and full of energy. They are seen in brown and yellow color tunic holding objects like pans, terracotta and glass vessels, even animals like chickens.[1] Another figure in the painting is seen standing, wearing a red tunic and is depicted with a raven face mask and proffering an oblong dish.[1] Other depictions within the frescoes of the Mithraeum include soldiers holding their military bags. Within the Mithraic cult, there is an initiation of seven grades, which are also referred to as the seven planetary grades of salvation. It is thought that this fresco in Santa Prisca is a depiction of the seven grades of initiation, though it is hard to be certain with only the fragmentary evidence that remains. The right wall fresco in the Mithraeum features the seven grades arranged in the exact order (followed by their symbols):

 
Head of Helios depicted in polychrome marble inlays, located in the Santa Prisca Mithraeum.
  1. Corax, Mercury: raven and magic staff
  2. Nymphus, Venus: bridal veil
  3. Miles, Mars: lance, helmet and bag.
  4. Leo, Jupiter: shovel, sistrem (sacred rattle) and Jupiters thunderbolts
  5. Perses, Luna: crescent moon, scythe and falx
  6. Heliodromus, Sol: whip, torch and halo
  7. Pater, Saturn: symbols of the father, depicted by the clothes of Mithra, a ring and staff

The Dutch excavations of M. J. Vermaseren and C. C. Essen in the mid 20th century also revealed there to be paintings in the temples underneath the church. The whole sanctuary was found to have been originally painted by the members of the cult. The Mithraeum's entrance had been stuccoed and painted red, also featuring a painted blue ceiling with stars.[1] Both the temples within the Mithraeum have paintings of an initiate processional and Sol seen with pierced rays for illumination as well as painted remnants which are believed to be fruit baskets and flowers.[1]

 
Mosaic at the Mithraeum in Ostia Antica depitcing the symbol of the sixth Mithraic grade: Heliodromus, Sol.

The findings of Vermaseren and Essen also found there to be similarities to another Mithreaum in Ostia Antica, a harbor city 19 miles (30 kilometers) from Rome. The architectural analysis suggests that the Mithraeum under the Santa Prisca Church in Rome had undergone construction and was enlarged around the year 220 A.D. Similarities between the two Mithraic temples also suggest that those in the cult who had worked on the Mithraeum in Ostia had helped in the construction and painting of the Mithraeum in Santa Prisca.[1]

 
Mosaic at the Mithraeum in Ostia Antica depitcing the symbol of the seventh and final Mithraic grade: Pater, Saturn

Cardinal-protectors edit

 
The church drawn by Giuseppe Vasi, 1750s

The Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Priscae is Justin Francis Rigali, Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia (US).

Previous Cardinal-Priests include:

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h M.J. Vermaseren and C. C. Van Essen. The Excavations in the Mithraeum of the Church of Santa Prisca in Rome. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1965.
  2. ^ Griffith, Alison. "Completing the Picture: Women and the Female Principle in the Mithraic Cult." Numen Vol. 53, No. 1. Brill: 2006
  3. ^ Groh, Dennis (1967). Mithraism in Ostia. Sacramento State University Library: Northwestern University Press.

References edit

  • David, Jonathan (2000). The Exclusion of Women in the Mithraic Mysteries: Ancient or Modern?. Numen 47 (2): 121–141. doi:10.1163/156852700511469

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Prisca.

January 01, 1970
santa, prisca, rome, fictional, country, santa, prisca, comics, church, taxco, alarcón, mexico, santa, prisca, church, taxco, santa, prisca, titular, church, rome, aventine, hill, cardinal, priests, recorded, titulus, priscae, acts, synod, santa, priscachurch,. For the fictional country see Santa Prisca DC Comics For the church in Taxco de Alarcon Mexico see Santa Prisca Church Taxco Santa Prisca is a titular church of Rome on the Aventine Hill for Cardinal priests It is recorded as the Titulus Priscae in the acts of the 499 synod Santa PriscaChurch of Saint PriscaChiesa di Santa PriscaThe facadeClick on the map for a fullscreen view41 52 59 N 12 29 02 E 41 88307 N 12 48394 E 41 88307 12 48394Location11 Via di Santa Prisca RomeCountryItalyLanguage s ItalianDenominationCatholicTraditionRoman RiteWebsitesantaprisca wbr itHistoryStatustitular churchFounded12th centuryDedicationSaint PriscaArchitectureArchitect s Carlo Francesco LombardiArchitectural typeBaroqueCompleted1728AdministrationDioceseRome Contents 1 Church 2 Mithraeum 2 1 The Discovery of the Mithraeum 2 2 Paintings and Iconography in the Mithraeum of Santa Prisca 3 Cardinal protectors 4 Footnotes 5 References 6 External linksChurch editIt is devoted to Saint Prisca a 1st century martyr whose relics are contained in the altar in the crypt It was built in the 4th or 5th century over a temple of Mithras Damaged in the Norman Sack of Rome the church was restored several times The current aspect is due to the 1660 restoration which included a new facade by Carlo Lombardi In the interior the columns are the only visible remains of the ancient church Also a baptismal font allegedly used by Saint Peter is conserved The frescoes in the crypt where an altar contains the relics of Saint Prisca are by Antonio Tempesta Anastasio Fontebuoni frescoed the walls of the nave with Saints and angels with the instruments of passion In the sacristy hangs a painting of the Immaculate conception with angels by Giovanni Odazzi and on the main altar a Baptism of Santa Prisca by Domenico Passignano Mithraeum editThe Discovery of the Mithraeum edit nbsp Inside the Mithraeum of Santa Prisca Rome The Mithraeum under Santa Prisca was first discovered in 1934 having been excavated by Augustinians who had been in charge of the monastery Excavations by the Dutch began in 1952 59 The original building was erected in ca 95 CE and was originally a plot of land purchased by Trajan who at the time was not yet emperor of Rome 1 This had also served as Trajan s town house until his death in 117 A D One hundred years later a member of the imperial family took over the building and built a Mithraeum in one part of the basement while a Christian meeting place was established in the other section Upon beginning the excavations in 1952 the Dutch cleared away mounds of earth which were thought to have been a sort of trench 1 During this period many artifacts were discovered by the Dutch who made a careful record Some of these discoveries included frescoes mosaics remains of various vases stucco as well as fragments of mosaic and brick 1 The original Mithrauem had a central aisle a niche and side benches Fine frescoes were found on the walls of the ancient Mithraeum as well as a stucco sculpture of Mithras the Bull Slayer one of the main images of the Mithras cult During the Dutch excavations in the 1950s pieces of mosaic were found within the newly discovered rooms underneath Santa Prisca Renovations in 220 yielded a larger central cult room and the addition of new ones while the frescoes were covered with new more elaborate paintings The frescoes often included writing underneath or around the work which would describe what that fresco showed This is something very unique to the Mithraic temple found at Santa Prisca These paintings were also important to the development of understanding the Mithraic cult Along with the typical bull slaying scene so commonly depicted amongst the cult other paintings depicted different cult rituals For example one painting shows a procession of figures wearing masks and different colored tunics holding what has been presumed to be a piece of liturgical equipment 2 These paintings have been mentioned in the long standing debate about the admittance of women into the cult citation needed Around 400 the Christians took over the Mithraeum destroyed it and built Santa Prisca on top of it Paintings and Iconography in the Mithraeum of Santa Prisca edit nbsp An example of a fresco depicting Mithra slaying the bull seen at the Mithrauem in Marino Italy The excavations of the Mithraeum by the Dutch in the mid 20th century proved to have found leftover fragments of frescoes The Mithraeum had been embellished with paintings and these frescoes in particular contain imagery and iconography which depict particular beliefs in the Mithraic cult as well as elements of initiation One of the frescoes on the left wall within the Mithraeum of the Roman Church includes a depiction of a cult processional towards figures Mithra and Sol with those participating in the cult holding various objects as they make their way to their deities 3 Both the left and right walls in the Mithraeum of Santa Prisca have remnants of paintings which depict different scenes and include several figures however due to destruction some of the images are difficult to make out The left wall of the temple shows several walking male figures some youthful and full of energy They are seen in brown and yellow color tunic holding objects like pans terracotta and glass vessels even animals like chickens 1 Another figure in the painting is seen standing wearing a red tunic and is depicted with a raven face mask and proffering an oblong dish 1 Other depictions within the frescoes of the Mithraeum include soldiers holding their military bags Within the Mithraic cult there is an initiation of seven grades which are also referred to as the seven planetary grades of salvation It is thought that this fresco in Santa Prisca is a depiction of the seven grades of initiation though it is hard to be certain with only the fragmentary evidence that remains The right wall fresco in the Mithraeum features the seven grades arranged in the exact order followed by their symbols nbsp Head of Helios depicted in polychrome marble inlays located in the Santa Prisca Mithraeum Corax Mercury raven and magic staff Nymphus Venus bridal veil Miles Mars lance helmet and bag Leo Jupiter shovel sistrem sacred rattle and Jupiters thunderbolts Perses Luna crescent moon scythe and falx Heliodromus Sol whip torch and halo Pater Saturn symbols of the father depicted by the clothes of Mithra a ring and staff The Dutch excavations of M J Vermaseren and C C Essen in the mid 20th century also revealed there to be paintings in the temples underneath the church The whole sanctuary was found to have been originally painted by the members of the cult The Mithraeum s entrance had been stuccoed and painted red also featuring a painted blue ceiling with stars 1 Both the temples within the Mithraeum have paintings of an initiate processional and Sol seen with pierced rays for illumination as well as painted remnants which are believed to be fruit baskets and flowers 1 nbsp Mosaic at the Mithraeum in Ostia Antica depitcing the symbol of the sixth Mithraic grade Heliodromus Sol The findings of Vermaseren and Essen also found there to be similarities to another Mithreaum in Ostia Antica a harbor city 19 miles 30 kilometers from Rome The architectural analysis suggests that the Mithraeum under the Santa Prisca Church in Rome had undergone construction and was enlarged around the year 220 A D Similarities between the two Mithraic temples also suggest that those in the cult who had worked on the Mithraeum in Ostia had helped in the construction and painting of the Mithraeum in Santa Prisca 1 nbsp Mosaic at the Mithraeum in Ostia Antica depitcing the symbol of the seventh and final Mithraic grade Pater SaturnCardinal protectors edit nbsp The church drawn by Giuseppe Vasi 1750s The Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S Priscae is Justin Francis Rigali Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia US Previous Cardinal Priests include Jacques Fournier OCist 18 Dec 1327 20 Dec 1334 elected Pope Benedict XII Zbigniew z Olesnicy 8 Jan 1440 1 Apr 1455 Juan de Mella 18 Dec 1456 12 Oct 1467 Juan de Castro 24 Feb 1496 29 Sep 1506 Niccolo Fieschi 5 Oct 1506 15 Jun 1524 Andrea della Valle 27 Mar 1525 3 Aug 1534 Gianvincenzo Carafa 23 Jul 1537 28 Nov 1537 Rodolfo Pio 28 Nov 1537 24 Sep 1543 Bartolomeo Guidiccioni 24 Sep 1543 4 Nov 1549 Federico Cesi 28 Feb 1550 20 Sep 1557 Giovanni Angelo de Medici 20 Sep 1557 25 Dec 1559 elected Pope Pius IV Jean de Bertrand 16 Jan 1560 13 Mar 1560 Jean Suau 26 Apr 1560 29 Apr 1566 Bernardo Salviati 15 May 1566 6 May 1568 Antoine Perrenot de Granvella 14 May 1568 10 Feb 1570 Stanislaw Hosius Hozjusz 10 Feb 1570 9 Jun 1570 Girolamo di Corregio 9 Jun 1570 3 Jul 1570 Giovanni Francesco Gambara 3 Jul 1570 17 Oct 1572 Alfonso Gesualdo di Conza Gonza 17 Oct 1572 9 Jul 1578 Flavio Orsini 9 Jul 1578 16 May 1581 Pedro de Deza 9 Jan 1584 20 Apr 1587 Girolamo Simoncelli 15 Jan 1588 30 Mar 1598 Benedetto Giustiniani 17 Mar 1599 17 Aug 1611 Bonifazio Bevilacqua Aldobrandini 31 Aug 1611 7 Jan 1613 Carlo Conti 7 Jan 1613 3 Dec 1615 Tiberio Muti 11 Jan 1616 14 Apr 1636 Francesco Adriano Ceva 31 Aug 1643 12 Oct 1655 Giulio Gabrielli 6 Mar 1656 18 Jul 1667 Carlo Pio di Savoia 14 Nov 1667 28 Jan 1675 Alessandro Crescenzi CRS 15 Jul 1675 8 May 1688 Marcello Durazzo 14 Nov 1689 21 Feb 1701 Giuseppe Archinto 14 Mar 1701 9 Apr 1712 Francesco Maria Casini OFMCap 11 Jul 1712 14 Feb 1719 Giovanni Battista Salerni SJ 16 Sep 1720 20 Feb 1726 Luis Antonio Belluga y Moncada CO 20 Feb 1726 16 Dec 1737 Pierluigi Carafa Jr 16 Dec 1737 16 Sep 1740 Silvio Valenti Gonzaga 16 Sep 1740 15 May 1747 Mario Mellini 15 May 1747 1 Apr 1748 Ludovico Merlini 21 Jul 1760 12 Apr 1762 Francesco Mantica 23 Feb 1801 13 Apr 1802 Francesco Maria Pandolfi Alberici 2 Jul 1832 3 Jun 1835 Giuseppe Alberghini 6 Apr 1835 30 Sep 1847 Miguel Garcia Cuesta 21 May 1862 14 Apr 1873 Tommaso Maria Martinelli OESA 17 Sep 1875 24 Mar 1884 Michelangelo Celesia OSB 13 Nov 1884 25 Nov 1887 Luigi Sepiacci OESA 17 Dec 1891 26 Apr 1893 Domenico Ferrata 3 Dec 1896 10 Oct 1914 Vittorio Ranuzzi de Bianchi 7 Dec 1916 16 Feb 1927 Charles Henri Joseph Binet 22 Dec 1927 15 Jul 1936 Adeodato Giovanni Piazza OCD 13 Dec 1937 14 Mar 1949 Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli 12 Jan 1953 28 Oct 1958 elected Pope John XXIII Giovanni Urbani 15 Dec 1958 19 Mar 1962 Jose da Costa Nunes 19 Mar 1962 29 Nov 1976 Giovanni Benelli 27 Jun 1977 26 Oct 1982 Alfonso Lopez Trujillo 2 Feb 1983 17 Nov 2001 Footnotes edit a b c d e f g h M J Vermaseren and C C Van Essen The Excavations in the Mithraeum of the Church of Santa Prisca in Rome Leiden E J Brill 1965 Griffith Alison Completing the Picture Women and the Female Principle in the Mithraic Cult Numen Vol 53 No 1 Brill 2006 Groh Dennis 1967 Mithraism in Ostia Sacramento State University Library Northwestern University Press References editDavid Jonathan 2000 The Exclusion of Women in the Mithraic Mysteries Ancient or Modern Numen 47 2 121 141 doi 10 1163 156852700511469External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Prisca Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Santa Prisca Rome amp oldid 1223018284, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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