Santa Susanna
From Churches of Rome Wiki
| Santa Susanna | |
|---|---|
 | |
| English name: | St Susanna |
| Dedication: | Susanna |
| Denomination: | Roman Catholic |
| Type: | National church |
| Clergy: | Paulist Fathers |
| Titular church | Bernard Francis Law |
| National church: | United States of America |
| Built: | 330, present church from 1593–1603 |
| Architect(s): | Carlo Maderno |
| Artists: | Stefano Maderno, Baldassare Croce, Cesare Nebbia |
| Contact data | |
| Address: | 14 Via XX Settembre (Piazza San Bernardo) |
| E-mail: | webmaster@santasusanna.org |
| Homepage: | http://www.santasusanna.org/ |
Santa Susanna is the national church of the United States of America.
Contents |
[edit] History
The first Christian place of worship was built here in the 4th century. It was probably the titulus of Pope Caius (283–296) - the tituli were the first parish churches in Rome. Caius was St Susanna's uncle, and tradition claims that the church stands on the site of her martyrdom.
A church was built in 330, and named San Caio after the owner of the first chapel. In 590, the church was rededicated to St Susanna because of her growing popularity.
Pope Leo III (795-816) had the church redecorated.
It is mentioned in the Catalogue of Turin as a titular church for a presbyterial cardinal. It was served by 6 clerics at the time.
In 1587, Pope Sixtus V gave the church and an adjacent building to the Cistercian nuns.
It was rebuilt under Sixtus IV (1471-1484), and again by Cardinal Girolamo Rusticucci between 1593 and 1603. The architect was Carlo Maderno.
Since 1921, the church has been served by Paulist Fathers. Since 1922 (de facto; formally since 1924), it has been the national church of the USA.
The present titular of the church is Bernard Francis Law. Among earlier titulars, five became popes: St Cononus (686-687), St Sergius I (687-701), St Leo III (796-816), Nicholas V (1447-1455) and Clement XII (1730-1740). The Church, property of the Cistercian Nuns, is in the first place, in the pastoral plan of the diocese of Rome, monastic Church.
[edit] Exterior
The Baroque façade is by Carlo Maderno, and was completed in 1603, five years before he started on the façade of San Pietro in Vaticano. It has two stories, the lower in five tiers and the upper in three. All the elements are arranged so that they point to the centre. In the centre of the upper level is a loggia. This is one of the finest examples of a fully developed Baroque style, marking that the transition from Renaissance via Mannerism to the new style is complete.
The statues on the façade are by Stefano Maderno.
[edit] Interior
The interior is by Carlo Maderno, in a bright Renaissance style. The contrast with Maderno's Baroque work at Santa Maria della Vittoria, across the street, is immense
Paintings depict scenes from the life of St Susanna in the apse, and from the Old Testament stories of Susanna on the walls of the nave, the Jewish woman who was the victim of false charges of impurity but was saved by Daniel. The paintings of the Old Testament Susanna are by Baldassare Croce, and those of St Susanna are by Laureti and Cesare Nebbia.
The coffered ceiling is attributed to Baldassare Croce.
In the Chapel of St Lawrence are the relics of St Genesius of Arles, also known as Genesius the Comedian, martyr and patron saint of actors.
St Felicity and one of her seven martyred sons are alse enshrined here, under the altar. Their relics were brought to safety from the catacombs.
There are still a few Cistercian nuns in the convent attached to the church. They hava a choir behind the altar, and the tombs of their community are in the crypt.
Pope St Eleutherius (175-189) is buried here. His body was moved from San Giovanni della Pigna by Camilla Peretti, Pope Sixtus V's sister, in 1591. The fresco above his altar is by Giacomo Pozzo. It shows the martyr being dragged by horses and burned over a grill while Emperor Commodus watched.
In the crypt are also parts of a 3rd century house, which may have been Susanna's home.
[edit] Other information
This is the national church for Catholics from the USA, and Mass is therefore celebrated in English.
Guided tours are given; at the present time after the 10:30 Mass on Sundays and on weekday evenings by appointment.
The church has its own website, and there is a lending library with English-language books.
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