Lenten Station Church
4th Monday in Lent
Holy Crowned Martyrs
(Santi Quattro Coronati)

Holy Crowned Martyrs (Santi Quattro Coronati) is an ancient basilica in Rome, Italy. Tradition holds the first church on the site was begun by Pope Miltiades in the 4th century on the north side of the Coelian Hill. One of the first churches of Rome, it bore the Titulus Aemilianae from the name of the foundress, who probably owned the elaborate Roman villa, the structure of which is evident under the church. The church was completed by the end of the 6th century. The first renovations occurred under Pope Leo IV (847–855), who built the crypt under the nave, added to side aisles, enclosed the courtyard before the facade, and built the belltower and the chapels of Sts Barbara and Nicholas. This church was burned to the ground by troops during the Norman Sack of Rome (1084). Instead of rebuilding the original basilica to scale, Pope Paschal II built a smaller basilica with two courtyards, one in front of the other. The original apse of the basilica was preserved, but seems oversized for the new church, whose nave was divided into three parts by means of columns. The new church was consecrated in 1116. When the Popes moved to Avignon (14th century), the building fell into ruin. Upon the return of the Popes to Rome with Pope Martin V, a restoration was necessary. In 1564, Pope Pius IV entrusted the basilica and the surrounding buildings to the Augustinians, who still serve it. Once the building became an orphanage, the Augustinian nuns put a revolving drum by its entrance which was used as a deposit "box" for unwanted babies. The apse above the altar contains the frescoes (1630) of the four patron martyr saints, Severus, Severian, Carpophorus, and Victorinus. Holy Crowned Martyrs Exterior Views Holy Crowned Martyrs Interior Views The Four Crowned Martyrs or Four Holy Crowned Ones were nine individuals who are venerated as martyrs and saints of early Christianity. The nine saints are divided into two groups: 1. Severus, Severian, Carpophorus, and Victorinus were martyred at Rome or Castra Albana, according to Christian tradition. According to the Passion of Saint Sebastian, the four saints were soldiers who refused to sacrifice to Aesculapius (the Roman/Greek god of healing), and therefore were beaten to death by order of Emperor Diocletian. According to the Golden Legend, the names of the members of the first group were not known at the time of their death "but were learned through the Lord’s revelation after many years had passed." They were called the "Four Crowned Martyrs" because their names were unknown ("crown" referring to the crown of martyrdom). 2. Claudius, Castorius, Symphorian, Nicostratus, and Simplicius were sculptors from Sirmium who were killed in Pannonia. They refused to carve the image of a pagan god for the Emperor Diocletian or to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods. The emperor ordered them to be placed alive in lead coffins and thrown into the Sava River in about 287. It is unclear where the names of the second group actually came from. Reference: 'Santi Quattro Coronati' on WikiPedia.org 'Four Crowned Martyrs' on WikiPedia.org All Photographs are from Commons.WikiMedia.org Jubilee Popes 1300-1525 - Pope Martin V 1068 (1998) 600th Anniversary of the Election of Pope Martin V A55 (2017)