St Stephen of the Abyssinians
| St Stephen of the Abyssinians Santo Stefano degli Abissini | |
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  Location on a map of Vatican City | |
| Basic information | |
| Location | Vatican City |
| Geographic coordinates | 41°54′06.47″N 012°27′06.74″E / 41.9017972°N 12.4518722°ECoordinates: 41°54′06.47″N 012°27′06.74″E / 41.9017972°N 12.4518722°E |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Rite | Alexandrian Rite (Coptic) |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | National Church in Rome of Ethiopia |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 5th century [1] |
| Completed | 9th century |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 35 metres (115 ft) |
| Width | 20 metres (66 ft) |
| Width (nave) | 10 metres (33 ft) |
St Stephen of the Abyssinians (Italian: Santo Stefano degli Abissini) is a Roman Catholic church located in Vatican City. The church dedicated to Stephen the Protomartyr is the national church of Ethiopia. The liturgy is celebrated according to the Alexandrian rite of the Ethiopian Catholic Church. It is is one of the only standing structures in the Vatican (besides the clementine chapel, niche of the pallia, the apostolic palace complex) to survive the destruction of old St. Peter's basilica, and thus it is the oldest surviving church (in terms of architectural history) in Vatican City.[1]
History
The church was, by tradition, built by Pope Leo I (ca. 400–461), and named Santo Stefano Maggiore.[2]
It was rebuilt in 1159 under Pope Alexander III, who also built a monastery for Ethiopian monks next to it.
In 1479, Pope Sixtus IV restored the church and assigned it to the Coptic monks in the city. It was at this time that the name was changed to reflect that it was served by Ethiopians (Abyssinian). It was altered under Pope Gregory XI (1700–1721), and again in 1928.
Exterior
The façade is in the style of the early 18th century. The 12th century doorway, decorated with the Lamb and the Cross, has been preserved.
Interior
The church has a single nave with ancient columns along the sides. The most important work of art is a fresco of the Madonna with Child in the Roman style from the 15th century.
Liturgy
The Feast of St. Stephen is celebrated on 26 December.
See also
Notes
- 1 2 Metropolitan Museum of Art 1983, p. 151
- ↑
Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Rome". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santo Stefano degli Abissini. |
- Touring Club Italiano (1999), Roma, S.L.: Touring Club Italiano, ISBN 88-365-1324-7
- Metropolitan Museum of Art (1983), The Vatican:spirit and art of Christian Rome, Malibu: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, p. 151, ISBN 0-87099-348-8,
It is the oldest surviving church in the Vatican, for it dates back to Pope Leo the Great (440-461)
- Webb, Matilda (2001), The Churches and Catacombs of Early Christian Rome, Brighton: Sussex Academic Press, p. 36, ISBN 1-902210-57-3
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