Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem Rome, Italy

Comment by Holly Hayes [admin] on July 15, 2013

When David and I visited Santa Croce in July 2006, we were the only visitors for some time. This would have been surprising given its many attractions and religious importance, except that my specialty guidebook had used words like "much-neglected" and "overlooked" to describe the church. By the time we left, however, there were about 10 other visitors in the church.

Santa Croce in Gerusalemme is just a short walk down the road from the more famous San Giovanni in Laterano (St. John Lateran) - just follow the Roman city wall east, past the large gate (Porto Maggiore). The area around Santa Croce is not terribly attractive - it was somewhat run-down and there was an impromptu flea market taking up much of the sidewalk - but until recently, it was located in quite rural surroundings. There is still a grassy area along the sidewalk leading to the church, at least, and on the left side of the church.

Inside the basilica, we were impressed by the beautiful decorations of the apse, but what really set the church apart from the other grand churches of Rome is the downstairs Chapel of St. Helen and the upstairs Chapel of the Holy Relics.

The Chapel of Helen was very interesting in that it was a converted part of a Roman palace, which is apparent both in the lower floor level and the vaulted ceiling. I was impressed to think that St. Helena may have said her daily prayers on this very spot more than 1,600 years ago.

The modern Chapel of the Relics was also interesting architecturally - it's not often you see stern, concrete Fascist architecture in a church. But it is not unattractive, and it's the relics that are the major draw. They are enclosed in a glass case behind the chapel's altar, each in its own glittering, specially-designed reliquary. I found the Good Thief's cross (the largest relic I've seen) and the Title of the Cross the most interesting, as they are quite unique and the latter has some claim to authenticity.

As I was examining the relics and taking lots of pictures (see photo gallery) in the Chapel of the Relics, David struck up a conversion with a friendly monk at the base of the stairs. Sadly we didn't catch his name, but he is likely Brother Joseph, whom Angela Pometto met a few months earlier (see Sources). He spoke excellent English and had lived in the UK for some time. He helped me find the "TITULUS CRUCIS" brick (I missed it, embedded in the wall by the stairs), told me which relic was which (they aren't labeled), a