San Clemente

When you want a 3D visual of the history of Rome, visit San Clemente, Monday’s Station Church, where over 2000 years of history are stacked on top of each other.  Underneath the present 12th century lies the even larger ruins of the original church dating back to the legalization of Christianity: Saint Jerome (347-419) writes of it as already existing.  This church in turn was built on top of prior homes from the first century, apparently including the Palazzo of Flavius Clemens, at whose home Pope Saint Clement is believed to have gathered with Christians for the Mass.  Also down at that pre-church level is the old temple to Mithras, favorite god of the Roman soldiers whom they would commemorate by drinking bull’s blood.  Would that mean their clothes were never wrinkled, because it was high in iron?

Having here not one but two previous posts on the church, you can click over to see the famous apse mosaic with the cross that blooms as the tree of life, the new vine that brings abundant life to the world.  And to the 12 doves that perch on its branches, signifying both the 12 apostles and the Christian faithful.