Domine Quo Vadis

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Church of Domine Quo Vadis, Rome
Domine Quo Vadis
The small church of Domine Quo Vadis, which is situated on the Via Appia, at the junction with Via Ardeatina, marks the spot where, according to the apocryphal Acts of Peter, Christ met Peter as the latter was fleeing Rome. Its official name is Santa Maria delle Piante (St Mary of the Soles of the Feet)
​According to the Acts of Peter, the apostle asked Christ, 'Lord, where are you going?' ('Domine, quo vadis?'), to which Christ replied, 'I go to Rome to be crucified again' ('Eo Romam iterum crucifigi').

Of ancient foundation, the church was completely rebuilt in the 17th century. It is home to a marble slab (a copy of the original, which is kept in the nearby Basilica of San Sebastiano fuori le Mura), which bears the imprint of a pair of feet, popularly held to be a miraculous sign left by Jesus. 
Marble slab (copy) bearing, according to legend, the imprints of Christ's feet, church of Domine Quo Vadis, Rome
Marble slab (copy) bearing, according to legend, the imprints of Christ's feet
In reality, the block of marble is an ancient ex-voto, a gift to the gods in thanks for a promise fulfilled, in this case for a successful journey. The church stands on or near the site of a shrine to Deus Rediculus, the god of safe returns. Travellers in antiquity would pray to the god as they took leave of the city. 

What survives of the inscription reads: ADORIAMO IL LOCO DOVE (CHRIS)TO SPARVE DA SAN PIETRO ET STETERVT PEDES EIVS (SEB)BENE LA VERA PIETRA STA NEL (CHIE)SA DI SAN BASTIANO TRA LE... (Let us adore the spot where Christ disappeared from Peter and his feet remained. Although the real stone is in the church of San Sebastian among the...). ​

​To be continued...