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Saint Susanna is said to have been the daughter of Saint Gabinus of Rome. Legend says that she refused to marry a pagan relative of Emperor Diocletian because of her religious beliefs. Therefore, at the command of Diocletian, she was then arrested and beheaded about the year 295. Around 330, under Constentine I, the house of her father, along with the adjoining one belonging to her uncle, was turned into a church. _-_Front.jpg)
 ▲Pictured above are exterior and interior photos of Santa Susanna Pope Leo III had the church rebuilt it from the ground in 796, adding the great apse and conserving the relics. The relics of Sts. Caius, Gabinus and Susanna are reserved under the main altar, with Sts. Felicity and Silenus in a ground level crypt. Saint Felicitas (also known as Felicity) was a rich and pious Christian widow who had seven sons. She devoted herself to charitable work. A pagan priests demanded sacrifice to pagan gods from Felicitas and her children. Felicitas refused and her seven sons who followed their mother's example. They adhered firmly to their religion, and were delivered over to judges, who condemned them to various modes of death. Felicitas asked she not to be killed before her sons, so that she might be able to encourage them during their torture and death. With joy, she accompanied her sons one by one until she had witnessed the death of all seven. After each execution she was given the chance to denounce her faith but she refused and so she too eventually suffered martyrdom. Pope Sixtus IV (1475–1477) rebuilt the church, with a single nave with two side chapels. Between 1593 and 1603 the church was again rebuilt, adding the Baroque facade, done by Carlo Maderno. The church currently has two side chapels: one dedicated to Out Lady Of Graces, and a second dedicated to St. Lawrence. The ceiling is polychromed gilt wood, carved to the design of Carlo Maderno. After World War I, the Paulist Fathers, founded in 1858 in New York City became interested in St. Susamma Church. They wanted to establish a procurator general there to coordinate their work with the Vatican. In December 1921, Pope Benedict XV authorized the Paulist Fathers to administer Santa Susanna as the national church in Rome for the American residents of Rome and visitors from the United States of America. This is a church where a Vatican stamp link was impossible to find. If you think of one, please let us know. References • George Weigel, "Saturday Of The Third Week Of Lent - Station at St. Susanna" Roman Pilgrimage - The Station Churches Basic Books, Copyright 2013, pages 184-189 • Rita Mantone "Santa Susanna" Rome's Original Tituli: A Pilgrim's Guide To The Eternal City's House ChurchesClick-it Write Books, Copyright 2016 (Kindel Version) • Santa Susanna Wikipedia Interior and exterior photos are from Wikipedia. |
