Santo Stefano Rotondo:
​Mosaic

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Map

Santo Stefano al Rotondo

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The mosaic in the apse of the Chapel of St Primus and St Felician, in the church of Santo Stefano Rotondo al Celio, was commissioned by Pope Theodore I (r. 642-49). It is one of the rare examples of the art from 7th century Rome (another is to be found in the Cappella di SanVenanzio in the Lateran Baptistery).

​The mosaic in the Cappella dei Santi Primus e Feliciano depicts the two martyr-saints flanking a jewelled cross. The pair stand in a lush green meadow, which is alive with red roses. The cross culminates in a tondo depicting the head of Christ (a later addition?). At the top of the mosaic, against a background of the firmament, is the hand of God the Father holding a wreath. Below the work is an epigraph recording the dedication of the chapel. 

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