San Silvestro in Capite

Map of the Churches of Rome
Church of San Silvestro in Capite, Rome
San Silvestro in Capite
Founded in the 8th century, the church of San Silvestro in Capite is dedicated to Pope St Silvester I (r. 314-35). The bell tower was added in 1198. The present church was built by Francesco Capriani da Volterra (1535-94) and Carlo Maderno (1556-1629) between 1591 and 1601.
Nave, church of San Silvestro in Capite, Rome
Nave
The interior is made up of a vestibule, which leads to a nave with side chapels.  

Two recurring images in the decoration of San Silvestro in Capite are the head of St John the Baptist on a platter and the face of Christ on a veil, known as the Image of Edessa or the Mandylion. The images refer to two famous relics that the church once possessed. 
Bas relief of the Mandylion, Church of San Silvestro in Capite, Rome.
The Mandylion
The Mandylion is allegedly an imprint on a cloth that Christ made of his face and had sent to King Abgar of Edessa (now Urfa in Turkey), who was ill. According to an old tradition, the sick king had written to Jesus asking Him to come and heal him. Jesus could not go, so He pressed a towel to His face. His divine likeness miraculously transferred onto the cloth and was sent to the king.

The Mandylion is no longer housed in the church, but in the Vatican. 
Apse, church of San Silvestro in Capite, Rome
Apse
There is an image of the Mandylion on the high altar. The latter is crowned with the inscription: SPECIOSVS FORMA PRAE FILIIS HOMINVM ('Thou art fairer than the children of men', KJV). The inscription is a quotation from Psalm 45:3.  ​
The church is still home to the putative relic of the head of St John the Baptist, which is displayed in a chapel to the left of the entrance. It is this relic that gives the church its name. (The Latin for head is caput). 
Organ, San Silvestro in Capite, Rome
Organ
​The late-17th century organ sits above the entrance. The inscription on the beautifully carved organ loft proclaims: LAVDATE DOMINVM IN CORDIS ET ORGANO ('Praise the Lord with stringed instruments and organs', KJV), a quotation from Psalm 150.