Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

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Monday 06th of February 2012

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Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

One of the greatest ancient basilicas of Rome is the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. Other three churches considered to be the great antiques are St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Peter's.

The Roman Emperor Constantine I founded the basilica. The basilica is placed over the burial place of the Apostle, where after his death ( he was executed ), a memorial was built.

Emperor Theodosius I erected the construction of the basilica, in 386. It would be more larger and beautiful. In the V century the basilica was even bigger than the St. Peter's Basilica. Poet named Prudentius, describes the memorial in a few, lines. Since it was devoted also to Saints Taurinus and Herculanus, martyrs of Ostia, it was called the basilica trium Dominorum.

At the time of Gregory the Great (590-604) the basilica was modified again: the pavement was raised, in order to place the altar over Paul's tomb. In that period there were two monasteries close to the basilica - St. Aristus's and St. Stefano's. First for men and second for wоmеn. Over time the monasteries and the clergy of the basilica declined. Pope Saint Gregory II restored the former and the basilica was handed over monks.

In time when pope Gregory the Great was abbot of the monastery, Pantaleone of Amalfi presented the bronze doors of the basilica maior.

Pope Martin V decided to entrust it to the monks of the Congregation of Monte Cassino.

The exquisite cloister of the monastery was erected between 1220 and 1241, 1215 until 1964 it was the residence of the Patriarch of Alexandria.

On July 15, 1823 a fire, started through the inadvertently of a worker, who was amending the lead of the roof. As a result of this negligence, the basilica was destroyed. This church was the only of churches in Rome, which kept its primitive character for 1435 years. The whole world helped to its reconstruction. The Viceroy of Egypt provided pillars of alabaster, the Emperor of Russia - the valuable malachite and lapis lazuli of the tabernacle.

The basilica was resumed in 1840, but several years later at the attendance of Pope Pius IX with fifty cardinals, it was consecrated again.

Pope Benedict XVI ordered the Basilica to be supervised by an Archpriest, on the last day of May 2005. That same day-31 May he called Archbishop Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo as its first archpriest.