Sant'Agnese fuori le mura, Minor basilica in Via Nomentana, Rome, Italy
Sant'Agnese fuori le mura is an early Christian basilica in Rome built above an extensive underground catacomb network. The interior is divided into three aisles by fourteen ancient columns topped with Corinthian capitals, and the apse contains important Byzantine mosaics from the 7th century.
The basilica was founded in 324 under Constance, daughter of Constantine, and constructed above a cemetery holding the tomb of Saint Agnes, a young martyr from the early Christian period. The structure underwent modifications over the centuries while maintaining its original early Christian character.
The apse mosaic shows Saint Agnes dressed in imperial clothing against a golden backdrop, flanked by depictions of Popes Symmachus and Honorius I. This imagery links the saint to worldly authority and reflects her special veneration in the early Church.
The complex sits on Via Nomentana in Rome and requires stairs and narrow passages to explore the underground areas, so wearing comfortable shoes is important. Visitors should expect cooler temperatures in the catacombs and may want to bring a flashlight to better view the details.
On January 21 each year, two lambs receive a blessing at the basilica, and their wool is later woven into palliums for new metropolitan archbishops. This ancient ritual connects the modern Church to symbolic practices with roots in antiquity and remains one of few such ceremonial traditions still observed.
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