Cosmati mosaics

2017 By justmovingaround in Photo Impressions Tags: architecture, craft, Italy, Rome

Floor mosaics in the central nave of the Lateran Archbasilica in Rome. The mosaics are the so-called Cosmati style mosaics.

The Cosmati were a family of artists and craftsmen who lived in Rome from the 12th to the 14th centuries specialising in mosaics. They were named after their founder, a craftsman named Cosimo, who worked in the late 12th century. The Cosmati family’s contribution to the art of mosaic making is significant, as their style influenced the development of mosaic work throughout Europe during the medieval period.

The Cosmati family is best known for their distinctive style of geometric mosaic work, which became known as the “Cosmati style”. Cosmati style mosaics are characterized by their intricate patterns and the use of different types of colored stones, including marble, porphyry, and other precious stones. The mosaics often include geometric shapes, such as circles, squares, and triangles, arranged in intricate patterns. The designs are often divided into compartments or panels, each with its own pattern.

Cosmati style mosaics were also used in the decoration of tombs and other funerary monuments. The tomb of Pope Clement IV, located in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome, features a Cosmati-style mosaic panel that depicts the pope in a medallion surrounded by a geometric pattern of colored stones.

The Lateran Archbasilica

2017 By justmovingaround in Sacred Grounds, Sightseeing Tags: basilica, cathedral, Italy, Lateran, Papal States, Rome

Sightseeing in Rome means often visiting several churches famous for the architecture and the art pieces displayed inside. In most European cities, no matter Catholic or Protestant one usually visits one main cathedral, sometimes another famous church, and that’s it. In this respect, Rome is different. There are around 900 churches here. Sightseeing churches are on a must-see list, whether to admire the interiors or an original piece by Bernini or Raphael or another famous artist. But still there is a problem of visiting numerous churches in a short period, and quickly forgetting what we have seen in which church.

Rome’s churches, at least those most famous ones have some distinctive features, that cannot be seen in other places in Europe. Churches in Rome are usually quite old ones, however many times rebuilt or reconstructed. In Rome, it was always customary that building materials were removed from one place to decorate another one. The most prominent example is probably the bronze reliefs that once adorned the ceiling in the Pantheon. They had been melted down so that the bronze might have been used to make the famous St. Peter’s Basilica altar (by Bernini). The other distinctive feature is that inside the churches, we may often find art pieces by famous artists (pictures, frescoes, sculptures, etc.). We have, however, to bear in mind, that the Catholic Church (popes and bishops) like kings and princes in many other countries hired talented artists to decorate the interiors. Some of the famous artists and their workshops could have shown the world their work, and this way got famous because the Church was their sponsor.

Further, there is the problem of not knowing what to look at, the ceiling, the floor, walls, or numerous pieces of art. All the details are worked out very precisely. Of specific things for Western European standards are the Byzantine frescoes and mosaics at walls and ceilings, typical for South-Eastern Europe, hard to find in the Western tradition. For different reasons, either invited or because they fled the country, some Byzantine artists worked in Europe since the times of Charlemagne and his heirs. The other feature is marble walls and pillars, as marble formations are spread all over Italy, and marble is a natural building element.

Below a small selection of photos from one of the most prominent and oldest (with origins back in IV century) churches in Rome, the Lateran Archbasilica (Archbasilica of St. John Lateran), a church or a cathedral that although located in the city of Rome is an extra-territorial Vatican (Holy See >>>) property. In the past, the basilica and the adjacent palace were the official seat of popes. It lost its splendor as popes moved to Avignon. The modern interior is a combination of works that had been conducted mainly in XVI-XVIII centuries. In the hierarchy of basilicas of Rome, this one is preceding the St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican city.

The central nave, with figures of 12 apostles alongside it.

Vestibule, richly covered with marble. Although its interior was designed centuries later, you quickly can get the impression that you visit a palace in ancient Rome.

A piece of the floor arrangement in the vestibule.

The ceiling of the vestibule.

Bronze doors at the main entrance inside of the vestibule, taken from Curia Iulia building at Forum Romanum. In ancient Rome, Curia Iulia hosted the Roman Senate.

The floor mosaics in the central nave in the so-called Cosmati style. Cosmati was a Roman family of artists. They specialized among others in designing and making of mosaics.

The ceiling in the central nave. While in Rome, it is always recommendable to look up.

One of the 12 statues of the apostles located alongside the central nave. This one by Pierre le Gros is of St. Thomas.

The look downstairs onto the confessio (adjacent in front to the main altar) covered with beautiful marble. Behind the stairs rail, the view onto the tomb of Pope Martin V.

Confessio is a crypt to which you can get from inside a church taking the stairs down. It is usually linked to corridors and chambers containing tombs. During our visit to Rome, we saw confessios in several churches.

The apse located at the very end of the basilica building, behind the altar. Traditionally it has a semi-circular shape, richly decorated Byzantine style (mosaics at the top with figures shown at the golden background).

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The History of the Holy See

2016 By justmovingaround in History, Sacred Grounds Tags: Holy See, Italy, papacy, Papal States, Rome, Vatican

Many visitors to Rome head straight to St Peter’s Square, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Pope during the Sunday blessing. Yet few people realize that the Pope is not only the head of the Catholic Church but also the leader of a unique political entity. To understand what the Vatican really is, one must first understand the difference between Vatican City and the Holy See.

Many tourists visiting Rome sooner or later make their way to the Vatican. For some, a trip to Rome begins with a visit to St Peter’s Square, preferably on a Sunday. Then all eyes turn to one particular window of the Apostolic Palace, where the Pope appears to deliver the traditional Sunday blessing. For many visitors this moment is one of the highlights of a stay in Rome.

The Pope is widely known as the head of the Catholic Church, but he is also the head of a state. This state is sometimes called the Vatican, sometimes Vatican City, and sometimes the Holy See. These names are often used interchangeably in everyday language, although in reality they refer to slightly different notions. The Holy See refers to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope. It represents the central governing authority of the Roman Catholic Church and the institution through which the Pope exercises his leadership over the global Church. In international law, the Holy See is recognized as a sovereign subject of international law and it is the entity that maintains diplomatic relations with other countries, signs treaties and participates in international organizations. Vatican City, by contrast, is the territorial state that ensures the independence of the Holy See. It is governed by the Pope and functions as an ecclesiastical state, often described as a theocratic monarchy, in which the Pope holds supreme legislative, executive and judicial authority.

Below is a short historical explanation of how this unusual political structure came into existence.

History of the Holy See | Histoire du Saint-Siège | Geschichte des Heiligen Stuhls | Historia Stolicy Apostolskiej | Historia de la Santa Sede | 圣座历史 | 교황청의 역사 | 聖座の歴史

St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, the central church of the Roman Catholic Church and the symbolic heart of the Holy See.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, political unity on the Italian peninsula disappeared. Over the following centuries the region became divided into numerous independent political entities. These included kingdoms, duchies, principalities, republics and city-states, each governed separately and often competing with one another for power. Among the most influential of these entities were the Papal States, territories governed directly by the Pope, as well as powerful merchant republics such as Venice and Genoa, which built vast trading networks across the Mediterranean.

Christianity itself had been legalized earlier in the Roman Empire. The Edict of Milan in 313 AD, issued by Emperor Constantine, granted Christians freedom of worship after centuries during which many of them had been persecuted and executed. Later, in 380 AD, the Edict of Thessalonica declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

After its legalization, the Church gradually increased its influence. Donations from rulers and wealthy believers, including large grants of land, significantly expanded the Church’s material resources. During the early Middle Ages the popes came to control extensive territories in what is today central Italy. A decisive moment came in the 8th century, when the Frankish king Pepin the Short, father of Charlemagne, granted large areas of land to the Pope. This donation, known as the Donation of Pepin, formed the foundation of the Papal States. The agreement also strengthened the political alliance between the papacy and the Carolingian dynasty, providing the new Frankish rulers with religious legitimacy while giving the Pope military protection against his enemies in Italy. This alliance became even more visible a few decades later. In 800 AD, Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo III in Rome. The ceremony symbolized the close relationship between the papacy and the Carolingian rulers and marked the revival of imperial authority in Western Europe.

On Charles the Great and the Carolingian Dynasty

Throughout the centuries the Italian peninsula remained politically fragmented. Rivalries among its many independent states were frequent, and foreign powers such as France, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire often intervened in Italian affairs. Wars, shifting alliances and territorial conflicts were common features of political life. The authority of the papacy itself was not always stable. In the early fourteenth century the papal court was moved from Rome to Avignon in southern France. This period, known as the Avignon Papacy (1309–1377), saw a succession of popes residing outside Rome and operating under strong influence from the French monarchy. During these decades the political independence of the papacy was often questioned, and Rome itself declined in importance as the administrative centre of the Church. When the papacy finally returned to Rome in 1377, a new crisis soon followed. Disputes over papal elections led to the Great Western Schism (1378–1417), during which rival popes claimed authority at the same time — one residing in Rome and another in Avignon, and for a period even a third claimant. This situation deeply divided the Christian world and further demonstrated how closely the papacy was intertwined with European political rivalries.

In the nineteenth century a movement emerged that aimed to unify the Italian peninsula into a single state. This process, known as the Risorgimento, was led primarily by the House of Savoy, the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Sardinia. The Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in 1861, and Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy became the first King of Italy. During the course of unification the new Italian state gradually annexed most of the territories that had previously belonged to the Papal States. Most papal territories were incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, but the city of Rome remained under papal control for another decade. Finally, in 1870, Italian troops entered Rome and incorporated it into the Kingdom of Italy. This event effectively ended the Papal States as a territorial power.

The annexation of Rome created a long and complex conflict between the Italian state and the papacy. This dispute became known as the Roman Question. For decades the popes refused to recognize the authority of the Italian state over Rome and considered themselves prisoners in the Vatican. The conflict was finally resolved in 1929, when Benito Mussolini, representing the Kingdom of Italy, signed the Lateran Treaties with the Holy See. These agreements recognized the independence and sovereignty of a new state — Vatican City.

Vatican City is today the smallest independent state in the world, both in terms of territory and population. The state covers only about 44 hectares (0.44 km²) and is entirely surrounded by the city of Rome. This brings us back to the other name frequently associated with this state: the Holy See. While Vatican City is the physical territory, the Holy See represents the institutional and legal personality of the papacy itself. In international relations it is possible for an entity to be recognized as sovereign even if it does not possess a large territorial state. A well-known example is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, headquartered in Rome, which is recognized in international law as a sovereign entity despite not possessing sovereign territory. In a broader sense, the sovereign entity headed by the Pope is therefore the Holy See, while Vatican City serves as the territorial base guaranteeing its independence.

In addition to the territory of Vatican City itself, the Holy See also controls several extraterritorial properties in Rome and its surroundings. One of the most well-known is Castel Gandolfo, traditionally used as the Pope’s summer residence. These places remain formally part of Italian territory, but under international agreements they enjoy a special extraterritorial status similar to that of embassies, which guarantees their independence from Italian jurisdiction. A similar principle applies to the diplomatic missions of the Holy See around the world. These missions are known as apostolic nunciatures and function in a way comparable to embassies, representing the Holy See in its diplomatic relations with other states.

On Pope Innocent III

On Pope Gregory XIII

On Pope Pius XII