Chiesa al Freddo

It was cold this morning! Even inside Santa Balbina it was cold!

This church was founded early, AD 336, by Pope Saint Mark. (We found it early too, by the way--with plenty of time to get ready for Mass.) The minor medieval modifications maintain the early layout, so the church still feels very old.

Today's martyr Santa Balbina is listed in the Roman Martyrology as being the 'daughter of blessed Quirinius, martyr, who was baptized and chose Christ as her spouse in holy virginity'--it isn't recorded how she was martyred, but she is now buried with her father, as well as with Saint Felicissimus (Saint Very Happy, translated). Saint Balbina is a reminder that sanctity can run in the family, and a reminder that virginity was chosen from the first days of the Church, corresponding to the writings of St. Paul (1 Cor 7: 32-35) and the words and lived example of Jesus (Matt 19:12).










Cool things, naturally, are present where history hangs out, so we find here a beautifully inlaid episcopal chair:































And in a representation of a very similar chair, the Madonna and Child are flanked by Saint Peter and Saint Paul, who's been given a hefty sword:













Unfortunately these frescoes, with their great age, show signs of wear:




Baby Jesus: "Not a big fan of this white swathing, people!"



This image of Christ in blessing is on the ceiling above the first Madonna and Child:




















Following the liturgy, with the early sun beginning to warm things up, it is time for us to find an espresso . . .