San Vitale, Rome
The early Christian imperial basilica of the Saints Martyrs Vitale, Valeria, Gervasio and Protasio known more commonly as the
basilica of San Vitale and Compagni Martiri in Fovea (Roman Parish) or more simply as San Vitale al
Quirinale. It is the oldest Catholic place of worship in the historic center of Rome, located in via Nazionale. The imperial basilica of San Vitale al Quirinale, built under the pontificate of
Pope Siricius after 386 and consecrated and richly decorated by
Pope Innocent in 402 (Luigi Hutter and Vincenzo Golzino) is the first public Christian basilica with a baptistery (still not found) not founded on pre-existing pagan temples, mentioned in the
Liber pontificalis, built by the
Emperor Theodosius at the behest of
Saint Ambrose of Milan, in honor of the miraculous discovery of the bodies of martyrs
Gervasius and Protasius in Milan. It is the most frescoed basilica in Rome.
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