Church of Saints Marcellinus and Peter

Rome, Italy

Santi Marcellino e Pietro al Laterano is dedicated to Saints Marcellinus and Peter, 4th century Roman martyrs, whose relics were brought here in 1256. The first church on the site was built by Pope Siricius in the 4th century, close to the Via Labicana's catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter, with an adjoining hospice which became a centre for pilgrims.

This church was restored by Pope Gregory III in the 8th century. In the 9th century, the remains of Saints Marcellinus and Peter putatively were transferred from the catacombs here to a church in Seligenstadt, Germany. When the church was rebuilt in 1256 by Pope Alexander IV, the martyrs' relics were putatively returned.

At Present, under the high altar is an urn containing relics of Saint Marcia. On the left side is an altar dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, with a copy of Guido Reni's The Virgin in Glory with Angels, St Joseph and St Rita. Next to it is the Chapel of Reconciliation. An image of the dedicatees was placed on the first column on the left from the entrance during this restoration, with an inscription recording the restoration. The hospice and church were then given in 1276 to the Confraternity of those Commended to the Saviour.

The present church is the result of Pope Benedict XIV's 1751 reconstruction. The present cube-shaped exterior is divided by pilaster strips in a Neoclassical style, but with a late-Baroque elements, including a dome influenced by the architecture of Borromini. The façade was designed by Girolamo Theodoli and the main altarpiece by Gaetano Lapis depicts the dedicatees' martyrdom. After that restoration, the church was awarded until 1906 for the worship of the Discalced Carmelites.

References:

Comments

Your name



Address

Via Labicana 5, Rome, Italy
See all sites in Rome

Details

Founded: 1751
Category: Religious sites in Italy

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Michael Ansmann (9 months ago)
Very friendly and knowledgable guide. These catacombs are amazing! You need to reserve a slot in advance, we did it via whatsapp and they replied superquick, visited them the same day. Definitely would recommend. :)
xx (9 months ago)
It was a super nice, informative tour. The guide was incredibly friendly and the frescos were amazing to look at. So beautiful!
Lara Giuliana Gouveia Simonetti (4 years ago)
The catacombs are a most dramatic and interesting experience. You step through an unassuming door, and as you descend the stairs the heat of the day leaches away. The empty alcoves stretch out before you, and line the walls of the many side tunnels (which sink into darkness). Particularly interesting are the frescos, whose meaning are very ably explained by the tour guide. Above ground, the Mausoleum of Saint Helena is a very impressive edifice. The internal museum is well worth the ticket price. Both aspects of the site are better suited to Italian speakers, although a guidebook is available in English.
Carlisle Gomes (5 years ago)
We wanted to visit one of the catacombs while in Rome and chose St. Marcellino Pietro. So happy we did. We decided at the last minute and emailed them from the website. Flavio responded immediately to confirm. At the site Julia was our tour guide and shared a lot of knowledge with us. Many Christians were buried here and you can see the different burial places all underground including some human bones in one place! Pathways are uneven and the tour involves stairs and slanted alleys all very narrow. Ticket was only €8 each and well worth it. Took maybe an hour. Thank you Julia!!!
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Château du Lude

The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.