Rome’s Fascinating Basilica of San Clemente Reveals 2,000 Years of History
I descended 60 feet below Rome’s surface into a mysterious past I knew little about…
Standing outside of the ancient Basilica of San Clemente, named after Rome’s third pope, hardly drew my attention. I had approached it from the side by mistake and missed the grander entrance fronted by a small courtyard with palm trees.
photo credit Wikimedia Commons
Located just a short distance from the Colosseum, I knew it embodied three levels of ancient church history. Harboring this thought, I stepped inside the 12th century Basilica.
High above me was a vaulted ceiling with a dazzling mosaic in the apse depicting Christ on the Cross surrounded by doves. I walked across the uneven tile floor as it dipped and swayed through the centuries of visiting pilgrims and worshipers. A faint smell of incense, mingled with the cool and earthy surroundings, grew stronger as I began my journey into the depths of San Clemente
photo credit Wikimedia Commons
I soon found…
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