Basilica of Saint Paul

The bus tour on Friday afternoon (17 Nov 2006) included a stop at the Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura, known in English as the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls or St Paul-without-the-Walls. It is considered to be one the great ancient basilicas of Rome. Even though this basilica lies outside the walls of the Vatican, it is part of the Holy See.

In 386, Emperor Theodosius I began the erection of a large and beautiful basilica, but the work including the mosaics was not completed untill the pontificate of Leo I. As it was dedicated also to Saints Taurinus and Herculanus, martyrs of Ostia in the 5th century, it was sometimes called the Basilica Trium Dominorum or Basilica of Three Lords.

The facade is splendidly painted and decorated with gold leaf. A statue of Saint Paul greets one at the entrance to the basilica. Note that the Saint holds a sword. Our tour guide, being Italian, repeatedly mentioned that Saint Paul was holding a "spade", no doubt because the Italian for sword is "spada" and the guide's command of English was not perfect. Various paintings and statues throughout the basilica depict Saint Peter on the right and Saint Paul on the left of Jesus Christ, with Peter holding a key and Paul holding a sword.

In 1823 a fire, started through the negligence of a workman who was repairing the lead of the roof, resulted in the destruction of the basilica. Alone of all the churches of Rome, it had preserved its primitive character for 1435 years. The whole world contributed to its restoration. The Viceroy of Egypt sent pillars of alabaster, the Emperor of Russia the precious malachite and lapis lazuli of the tabernacle. The work on the principal facade, looking toward the Tiber, was completed by the Italian Government.

Note the impressive ceiling of the porch area facing the front courtyard.

Here in the basilica we were introduced to the glorious marbles we were to encounter time and again everywhere we went in Italy.

The central rose garden courtyard of the basilica is surrounded by porches with these wonderfully quirky mosaic-clad pillars.