La primera iglesia de Santa Cecilia fue probablemente fundada en el siglo v, por el papa Urbano I, y dedicada a la mártir romana Cecilia. La tradición sostiene que la iglesia fue construida sobre la casa de la santa. Durante unas excavaciones realizadas en la Capilla de las Reliquias se encontró el baptisterio de esta iglesia, así como los restos de una casa imperial romana. En el sínodo del año 499 del papa Símaco, se nombra la iglesia con el Titulus Ceciliae. El 22 de noviembre del 545, el papa Vigilio celebraba su santo en la iglesia, cuando un emisario de la emperatriz Teodora llamado Antemi Scribone llegó a apresarlo.
El papa Pascual I reconstruyó la iglesia en el año 822, y trajo las reliquias de Santa Cecilia desde las Catacumbas de San Calixto. Más restauraciones se realizaron durante el siglo xviii.
La iglesia tiene una fachada construida el año 1725 por Ferdinando Fuga, la cual incluye un patio decorado con antiguos mosaicos, columnas y un cántaro. También incluye el escudo de armas y la dedicatoria del cardenal titular que financió la construcción de la fachada, Francesco Acquaviva d'Aragona.
Entre los vestigios que permanecen del edificio del siglo xiii se encuentra una pintura mural ubicada en el coro de los monjes que representa el juicio final (1289-1293), basado en los diseños de Pietro Cavallini, El cielo de la Cappella dei Ponziani está decorado con Dios Padre con los evangelistas (1470) de Antonio del Massaro. La Cappella delle Reliquie fue pintada por Luigi Vanvitelli, quien también decoró el retablo.
La nave central está pintada con la Apoteosis de Santa Cecilia (1721) de Sebastiano Conca. La iglesia también aloja dos retablos más: Santas Valeria y Cecilia y la Decapitación de Santa Cecilia (1603).
Entre los trabajos más notables está el altar de Santa Cecilia (1600) del escultor proto-barroco Stefano Maderno. Según se cuenta, esta escultura fue modelada sobre el cuerpo de la santa, cuando se abrió su tumba en 1595. La estatua evidencia la decapitación, lo que ayuda a la identificación de la santa. Además demuestra la supuesta incorruptibilidad de su cuerpo (atributo de los santos), el cual, milagrosamente, aún conserva sangre después de siglos. La estatua podría ser concebida como proto-barroca, ya que representa un momento o una persona no idealizada, sino que muestra una escena teatralizada, una representación naturalista de una muerte, o de un santo moribundo.
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The first church of Santa Cecilia was probably founded in the 5th century, by Pope Urban I, and dedicated to the Roman martyr Cecilia. Tradition holds that the church was built on the house of the saint. During some excavations carried out in the Chapel of the Relics, the baptistery of this church was found, as well as the remains of a Roman imperial house. In the synod of the year 499 of Pope Symmachus, the church is named with the Titulus Ceciliae. On November 22, 545, Pope Vigilio celebrated his saint's day in the church, when an emissary of the Empress Theodora named Antemi Scribone came to arrest him.
Pope Pascual I rebuilt the church in the year 822, and brought the relics of Santa Cecilia from the Catacombs of San Callisto. More restorations were carried out during the 18th century.
The church has a façade built in 1725 by Ferdinando Fuga, which includes a patio decorated with ancient mosaics, columns and a pitcher. It also includes the coat of arms and the dedication of the titular cardinal who financed the construction of the façade, Francesco Acquaviva d'Aragona.
Among the remaining vestiges of the 13th century building is a wall painting located in the monks' choir depicting the Last Judgment (1289-1293), based on designs by Pietro Cavallini, The ceiling of the Cappella dei Ponziani is decorated with God the Father with the Evangelists (1470) by Antonio del Massaro. The Cappella delle Reliquie was painted by Luigi Vanvitelli, who also decorated the altarpiece.
The central nave is painted with the Apotheosis of Santa Cecilia (1721) by Sebastiano Conca. The church also houses two more altarpieces: Saints Valeria and Cecilia and the Decapitation of Saint Cecilia (1603).
Among the most notable works is the altar of Santa Cecilia (1600) by the proto-Baroque sculptor Stefano Maderno. According to what is said, this sculpture was modeled on the body of the saint, when her tomb was opened in 1595. The statue shows the decapitation, which helps to identify the saint. It also demonstrates the supposed incorruptibility of his body (attribute of the saints), which, miraculously, still retains blood after centuries. The statue could be conceived as proto-baroque, since it represents a moment or a person not idealized, but rather shows a dramatized scene, a naturalistic representation of a death, or of a dying saint.
The first church of Santa Cecilia was probably founded in the 5th century, by Pope Urban I, and dedicated to the Roman martyr Cecilia. Tradition holds that the church was built on the house of the saint. During some excavations carried out in the Chapel of the Relics, the baptistery of this church was found, as well as the remains of a Roman imperial house. In the synod of the year 499 of Pope Symmachus, the church is named with the Titulus Ceciliae. On November 22, 545, Pope Vigilio celebrated his saint's day in the church, when an emissary of the Empress Theodora named Antemi Scribone came to arrest him.
Pope Pascual I rebuilt the church in the year 822, and brought the relics of Santa Cecilia from the Catacombs of San Callisto. More restorations were carried out during the 18th century.
The church has a façade built in 1725 by Ferdinando Fuga, which includes a patio decorated with ancient mosaics, columns and a pitcher. It also includes the coat of arms and the dedication of the cardinal titular who financed the construction of the façade, Francesco Acquaviva d'Aragona.
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visit link)