ST. PETER'S BASILICA
The present basilica is the result of the work of reconstruction of the older basilica erected by the Emperor Constantine in 324. It is the largest church of Christendom: a total of 21,477 sq. meters, length of 186.35 meters. It was built over the tomb of Peter the Apostle (recent excavations into the very core of the Basilica have revealed what in all probability is the tomb of the Apostle).
Its reconstruction began on April 18, 1506, under Pope Julius II and ended 120 years later, calling the most famous artists and architects of the time to work on it, from Bramante to Michelangelo, Raffaello and Bernini, and was consecrated by Pope Urban VIII in 1626. Its interior is full of treasurers, among which are Michelangelo's masterpiece, the Pietà, (which is now totally covered in a fullproof encasement), the Bernini's Baldacchino, (located over the high altar), the bronze statue of a seated St. Peter, thought to be a 13th century work of Florentine Arnolfo di Cambio. Millions of kisses have been wearing away his right foot.
ST PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALLS
It was built by Emperor Constantine along the Via Ostiense on the spot where Licinia found the martyrized body of St. Paul. This church was consecrated by Pope Siricio in 390 after many additions made in the IV century. In 1823 a big fire destroyed it almost completely and it was rebuilt thanks to donations from all parts of the world. It is very famous for its Byzantin mosaics: the original one on the "apse" dates back from the 13th century and was reconstructed after the fire. A characteristic of the Basilica is the huge courtyard surrounded by covered arcades. Along the walls of its interior are the mosaic roundels showing the long line of succession from St. Peter to John Paul II. The paschal candelstick by Nicoló di Angelo and Pietro Vassalletto from the twelveth century and the baldaquin by Arnolfo di Cambio were preserved from the terrible fire of 1823.
ST. JOHN THE LATERAN
The basilica was the first Christian church of the world. It was built by Constantine on property belonging to the Laterani family. It was the papal residence for almost one thousand years and in this Basilica, in the year 1300, Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first Christian Jubilee in history. It has been damaged several times by fires and earthquakes, but it was promptly rebuilt, restored and embellished with paintings and mosaics. It is 130 meters long and has five aisles decorated by Borromini in 1600.SAINT MARY MAJOR
It was built by Pope Sixtus III in 440 at the top of the Esquiline Hill. He wanted a big church, a big church for Mary, and from there its name "Maggiore" (Major). It is the largest temple in Rome dedicated to the Mother of God. The tradition says that it was commissioned by Pope Liberius in 352 to commemorate his vision of the Virgin who indicated the place where it should be built with a fall of snow on a summer night (August 4-5). In recent years, the City of Rome, has recalled the tradition on the night of August 4-5 by having artificial snow fall on the church in the Piazza.
THE DATES FOR THE OPENING OF THE HOLY DOORS OF THE PATRIARCHAL BASILICAS
For the first time in history, the Pope will open personally the Holy Door of all four Patriarchal Basilicas in Rome. At 11.00 p.m. of December 24, 1999, Pope John Paul II will open the Holy Door of the Vatican Basilica for the beginning of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. December 25 at 6.00 p.m. he will open the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. John Lateran and on Saturday, January 1, 2000, he will open the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Mary Major at 9.30 p.m. On January 18, 2000, there will be the opening of the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. Paul's outside the Walls and the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Chrstian Unity.
According to the ancient jubilee tradition, the Pope opened the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica on Chrstmas Eve and three cardinal legates opened the other three Holy Doors on December 25.
INFO POINT
St. Peter
Vaticano City- Tel 06/6988.3462 - Opening times: Basilica, 7.00-18.00, Crypt, 7.00-17.00, Cupola 8.00-17.00 - Underground "A", stop Ottaviano/San Pietro - Bus n° 64, 62, 982, 34, 46, 46b, 98, 881, 81, 492, 907, 982, 991.
St Paul outside the Walls
Via Ostiense, 186 - Tel. 06/5410341 - Underground "B", stop San Paolo - Urban Railway Roma Lido, stop San Paolo. Bus n° 128, 707, 761
St. John the Lateran
P.zza San Giovanni in Laterano, 3 - Tel. 06/69886452 - Underground "A", stop San Giovanni - Bus n° 186, 850, 30
Saint Mary Major
Via Carlo Alberto, 47 - Tel. 06/4465836 - Underground "A", stop Vittorio Emanuele or Termini - Underground "B", stop Cavour - Bus n° 4, 9, 16, 70, 71, 75, 204, 714.
The Holy Cross in Jerusalem
In this Basilica are preserved some very important relics of Jesus' Passion. Thus pilgrims who visit it recall the sacrifice Christ made for the salvation of humankind. The Basilica is called "in Jerusalem" because, according to tradition, soil brought from the Holy City by St. Helena, Constantine's mother, was scattered on its foundations on her return from a pilgrimage with the relics that are still preserved there today.
Saint Lawrence at Verano
In this basilica we venerate the memory of a martyr of charity, the deacon Lawrence. He was condemned to death in the year 258 A.D. during the persecution against the Christians ordered by the emperor Valerian. According to the tradition, he was burn alive on a gridiron because considered guilty of distributing to the poor possession that the Roman authorities wanted to confiscate. Lawrence's martyrdom reminds us of the martyrdom of many "witnesses of the faith" that the Church of the year 2000 wants to commemorate in the Great Jubilee.
The Shrine of Divine Love
For the first time in history the Shrine of Divine Love, has been indicated as a place for Jubilee indulgence. The Romans' strong devotion to this shrine goes back to the vow made to have Rome saved from the horrors of war, connected to the commitment for an evangelical correction of moral behaviour. The history of the Sanctuary begins in coincidence with the Jubilee of the year 1750, and from that time on it has been considered a special place for renconciliation.
Shrine of the Madonna del Divino Amore, Via Ardeatina, km. 12, Tel. 06/71353302/3, Weekday opening: 6.30-20.00, Sunday: 5.45-20.00
The Catacombs
Also the Catacombs, for the first time in history, has been indicated by John Paul II as jubilee places. For every Christian they are an invitation to remember and know the witness of the first Christians and take present Christians back to the origins of their faith. Temples to the first martyrs, are monumental witness to those "centuries of chains"when the first Christian communities faced the sufferings of persecutions. Among the main catacombs are St Callisto, St Sebastian, Domitilla, Priscilla, St Agnes.
Catacombs: Opening times: 8.30-12.00; 14.30-17.30. Ticket Lit. 8.000, groups Lit. 4.000.
Catacombs S. Calisto, Via Appia Antica, 78, 110, 126, Tel. 06/51301580, closed Wednesday
Catacombs St Sebastian, Via Appia Antica 136, Tel. 06/7850350, closed Sundays
Catacombs Domitilla, Via delle Sette Chiese, 282, tel. 06/5110342, , closed Tuesdays
Catacombs Priscilla, Via Salaria, 430, Tel. 06/8620622, , closed Mondays
Catacombs St Agnese, Via Nomentana, 342, tel. 06/866205456, closed mornings Sundays and holidays, Monday afternoons.