Mosaics on the vault of the Chapel of St. Helena by Melozzo da Forlì (before 1485)
Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem)
Piazza di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
Rome, September 2010
Jesus is probably smiling and happy that Helena was so busy working for him. She is famous here in Jerusalem, with a street on her name even. Now I learn how much she did in Rome too.
VP, your links and their links are fascinating! Like this: "According to tradition, the basilica was consecrated around 325 to house the Passion Relics brought to Rome from the Holy Land by St. Helena of Constantinople, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine I. At that time, the basilica floor was covered with soil from Jerusalem, thus acquiring the title in Hierusalem - it is not dedicated to the Holy Cross which is in Jerusalem, but the church itself is "in Jerusalem" in the sense that a "piece" of Jerusalem was moved to Rome for its foundation."
and
"The relics were once in the ancient St. Helena's Chapel, which is partly under ground level. . . . Mediaeval pilgrim guides noted that the chapel was considered so holy, that access to the chapel by women was forbidden."
Ornate and beautiufl. I always wonder how they could do it. I guess it helps that there were no movies or TV or cell phone.
ReplyDeleteP.S. It looks like Jesus is smiling. I don't know that I've ever seen him represented that way, at least in the old days.
ReplyDeleteEach one has a book!
ReplyDeleteJesus is probably smiling and happy that Helena was so busy working for him. She is famous here in Jerusalem, with a street on her name even. Now I learn how much she did in Rome too.
VP, your links and their links are fascinating! Like this:
"According to tradition, the basilica was consecrated around 325 to house the Passion Relics brought to Rome from the Holy Land by St. Helena of Constantinople, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine I. At that time, the basilica floor was covered with soil from Jerusalem, thus acquiring the title in Hierusalem - it is not dedicated to the Holy Cross which is in Jerusalem, but the church itself is "in Jerusalem" in the sense that a "piece" of Jerusalem was moved to Rome for its foundation."
and
"The relics were once in the ancient St. Helena's Chapel, which is partly under ground level. . . . Mediaeval pilgrim guides noted that the chapel was considered so holy, that access to the chapel by women was forbidden."
The scholar has been here before me doing a good job. :-) This ceiling is a gem. Even better than Santa Maria in T.
ReplyDeleteGiven the choice, I would actually prefer... Panforte.
ReplyDelete@ ciel - Absolutely!
ReplyDelete