Day 14 - Tuesday 2nd Week of Lent - St Balbina

Santa Balbina, near the Baths of Caracalla

The church is ancient.  It was built as early as the 4th century, and no later than the 6th century, above a house that seems to have been in the possession of the emperor Hadrian, but given to the consul Lucius Fabius Cilone. It overlooks the ruins of the baths of the Emperor Caracala. 

Below: The Ruins of the Baths of Caracalla across from Santa Balbina

Santa Balbina exterior - apse view

Santa Balbina is a church a bit more au naturale, shall we say, in comparison to our recent venues of the great, stately churches of Santi Apostoli and St Peter in the Vatican.  It is simple, both inside and out, though not without a few choice elements of grandeur, such as the altar, brought from Old St Peter's in the Vatican, and the magnificent floor of restored 1st century mosaics, rediscovered in the 1930's,  depicting birds and signs of the zodiac.  There is also an mosaic episcopal throne designed by the famous Cosmati family, renowned for the magnificent floors of  Medieval Rome that bear their name.  An ancient sarcophagus was discovered during restoration, and is now used as a baptismal font, and frescoes were discovered on the side walls from the 9-14th centuries

Walls of the associated convent now called Santa Dorotea 

In medieval times, the church and monastery stood alone on the Aventine, surrounded by vineyards.  Because of invasions by Muslims and barbarians, the monastery was fortified for protection.

Above: A stational liturgy at the basilica 

The 2 photos below highlight the magnificent mosaic floor of the basilica of Santa Balbina

 The interior is one of elegant simplicity.  An apse contains a radiant fresco of St. Balbina in glory, flanked by frescoed forms of Sts. Peter and Paul, and the jasper urn under the altar contains her remains and those of her father.  It is a simple basilica style; most of the walls are unadorned.  The exposed wooden traves of the roof were common in ancient Roman Christian worship spaces.  There are large windows to make the most of natural light.

The Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Balbinae today is Péter Erdő, the Archbishop of Esztergom in Hungary. According to Cardinal Erdő, the Hungarian connections of the church were important in the Pope's choice of  Santa Balbina as his titular church. The Cardinal recommends that Hungarian pilgrims visit the basilica and says he feels a special responsibility for the building. This is an example of that call from the past that joins us with those who have gone before.