Churches of Rome



There are more than 900 churches in Rome, which makes it the city with the largest number of churches in the world. Almost all of these are Catholic.

The first churches of Rome originated in places where Christians met. They were divided into three main categories:
 * the houses of private Roman citizens (people who hosted the meetings of Christians – also known as oratoria, oracula)
 * the deaconries (places where charity distributions were given to the poor and placed under the control of a deacon; the greatest deaconries had many deacons, and one of them was elected archdeacon)
 * other houses holding a titulus (known as domus ecclesia)

Tituli
Pope Marcellus I (A.D. 306–308) is said to have recognized twenty five tituli in the City of Rome, quasi dioecesis. It is known that in 336, Pope Julius I had set the number of presbyter cardinals to 28, so that for each day of the week, a different presbyter cardinal would say mass in one of the four major basilicas of Rome, St. Peter's, Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, and Basilica of St. John Lateran. In Stephan Kuttner's view, "...the Roman cardinal priests and bishops were 'incardinated' for permanent (though limited) purposes into the patriarchal basilicas while remaining bound nonetheless to the churches of their original ordination."

Only the tituli were allowed to distribute sacraments. The most important priest in a titulus was given the name of Cardinal. Pope Marcellus I (at the beginning of the 4th century) confirmed that the tituli were the only centres of administration in the Church. In AD 499, a synod held by Pope Symmachus listed all the presbyters participating, as well as the tituli who were present at that time:


 * 1) Titulus Aemilianae (Santi Quattro Coronati)
 * 2) Titulus Anastasiae (Santa Anastasia)
 * 3) Titulus SS Apostolorum (Santi Apostoli)
 * 4) Titulus Byzantis or Vizantis (unknown, perhaps "Titulus Pammachii")
 * 5) Titulus S Caeciliae (Santa Cecilia in Trastevere)
 * 6) Titulus Clementis (San Clemente)
 * 7) Titulus Crescentianae (San Sisto Vecchio)
 * 8) Titulus Crysogoni (San Crisogono)
 * 9) Titulus Cyriaci (Uncertain; theories include Santa Maria Antiqua and Santa Maria in Domnica)
 * 10) Titulus Damasi (San Lorenzo in Damaso)
 * 11) Titulus Equitii (San Martino ai Monti)
 * 12) Titulus Eusebi (Sant'Eusebio)
 * 13) Titulus Fasciolae (Santi Nereo e Achilleo)
 * 14) Titulus Gaii (Santa Susanna)
 * 15) Titulus Iulii (Santa Maria in Trastevere, identical with Titulus Callixti)
 * 16) Titulus Lucinae (San Lorenzo in Lucina)
 * 17) Titulus Marcelli (San Marcello al Corso)
 * 18) Titulus Marci (San Marco)
 * 19) Titulus Matthaei (in Via Merulana, destroyed in 1810)
 * 20) Titulus Nicomedis (in Via Nomentana, destroyed)
 * 21) Titulus Pammachii (Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Rome))
 * 22) Titulus Praxedis (Santa Prassede)
 * 23) Titulus Priscae (Santa Prisca)
 * 24) Titulus Pudentis (Santa Pudenziana)
 * 25) Titulus Romani (unknown, perhaps either Santa Maria Antiqua or Santa Maria in Domnica; whichever, the "Titulus Cyriaci" was not)
 * 26) Titulus S Sabinae (Santa Sabina)
 * 27) Titulus Tigridae (uncertain, perhaps Santa Balbina)
 * 28) Titulus Vestinae (San Vitale)

"Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome"
In the time of Pope Alexander II (1061-1073) those priests who served at St. Peter's Basilica were referred to as the seven cardinals of S. Peter's: septem cardinalibus S. Petri. The four basilicas had no cardinal, since they were under the direct supervision of the Pope. The Basilica of St. John Lateran was also the seat of the bishop of Rome. Traditionally, pilgrims were expected to visit all four basilicas, and San Lorenzo fuori le mura, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, and San Sebastiano fuori le mura which constituted the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. In the Great Jubilee in 2000, the seventh church was instead Santuario della Madonna del Divino Amore as appointed by Pope John Paul II.

Notable churches by construction time
This is a list of churches of Rome cited in Wikipedia articles or with related files on Wikimedia Commons.

The churches are grouped according to the time of their initial construction: the dates are those of the first record of each church. The reader, however, should not expect the current fabric of the buildings to reflect that age, since over the centuries most have undergone reconstruction. Almost all the churches will thus appear considerably more recent, and as a patchwork of periods and styles.

Some interesting churches are now closed except on special occasions, such as weddings. These include: Santa Balbina, Santi Nereo e Achilleo, San Cesareo in Palatio and Sant'Urbano.



4th century



 * Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (324)
 * Old St. Peter's Basilica (324)
 * Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (325)
 * Santa Susanna (330)
 * San Marco (336)
 * Santa Maria in Trastevere (340s)
 * Santa Anastasia (early-4th century)
 * Santa Maria in Ara Coeli
 * Santa Bibiana (363)
 * Santi Nereo e Achilleo (before 377)
 * Saint Paul Outside the Walls (386)
 * Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Rome) (398)
 * Lateran Baptistery
 * Santa Balbina
 * San Sisto Vecchio
 * San Clemente
 * San Lorenzo in Lucina
 * Santi Marcellino e Pietro
 * San Lorenzo fuori le Mura
 * Santa Pudenziana
 * San Sebastiano fuori le mura
 * Sant'Anastasia al Palatino
 * San Marcello al Corso (probably late-4th century)
 * Santi Bonifacio e Alessio
 * San Martino ai Monti
 * San Sisto Vecchio
 * Sant'Ambrogio della Massima
 * San Cesareo de Appia
 * Santa Costanza
 * Santi Bonifacio ed Alessio
 * San Martino ai Monti
 * Santi Quattro Coronati
 * San Crisogono

5th century

 * Santi Quattro Coronati
 * San Vitale (400)
 * Santa Sabina (432)
 * San Lorenzo in Lucina (430s)
 * Santa Maria Maggiore (432)
 * Santo Stefano Rotondo (460)
 * Sant'Agata dei Goti (460s; originally Arian, the only Arian foundation to survive in Rome)
 * San Giovanni a Porta Latina (late-5th century)
 * Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
 * San Crisogono
 * Santa Maria Antiqua
 * Santa Maria in Via Lata
 * San Paolo alle Tre Fontane
 * San Pietro in Vincoli, titular church for a cardinal-priest
 * Santa Prisca
 * Santo Stefano al Monte Celio (483)
 * Sant'Agata de' Goti

6th century

 * Santi Cosma e Damiano (527)
 * Santi Apostoli
 * Santa Lucia in Selci (514)
 * San Pancrazio (early 6th century)
 * Santi Apostoli (573)
 * San Lorenzo fuori le Mura (580s)
 * Santa Balbina (595)
 * Santa Maria in Aracoeli
 * Santa Maria in Cosmedin
 * San Nicola in Carcere
 * San Teodoro - in 2000 Pope John Paul II granted the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Greek Orthodox community in Rome use of the church

7th century

 * San Lorenzo in Miranda (Temple of Antoninus and Faustina) (141 AD)
 * Sant'Agnese fuori le mura (mid-7th century)
 * Sant'Apollinare
 * San Giacomo Scossacavalli (mentioned for the first time in 7th century)
 * San Giorgio al Velabro
 * San Lorenzo in Miranda (11th century, but possibly 7th century)
 * Santi Luca e Martina (625)
 * Santa Maria in Domnica
 * Santa Maria ad Martyres (the rededicated Pantheon)
 * San Saba (645)

8th century

 * Sant'Angelo in Pescheria (755 or 770)
 * Santa Prassede (800)
 * Sant'Eustachio (795)
 * San Silvestro in Capite (761)
 * Sant'Agata in Trastevere

9th century

 * Santa Francesca Romana
 * Santa Passera (the name comes from "Abbas Cyrus", Father Cyrus)
 * Basilica di Santa Prassede (822)
 * San Lorenzo in Panisperna (late-9th century)
 * Santi Celso e Giuliano
 * Santi Nereo e Achilleo (814)
 * Santa Maria in Domnica (822)
 * San Giacomo alla Lungara
 * Santo Stefano degli Ungheresi (lost)

10th century



 * San Bartolomeo all'Isola (1000)
 * Santa Maria in Via
 * Santa Francesca Romana
 * San Sebastiano al Palatino
 * Santi Domenico e Sisto
 * Sant'Urbano
 * Santa Maria in Via (995)
 * San Cosimato
 * Santa Maria del Priorato Church (939)

11th century



 * San Silvestro al Quirinale (before 1039)
 * Santa Maria del Popolo (1099)
 * San Lorenzo in Miranda (11th century, but possibly 7th century)

12th century

 * San Lorenzo in Piscibus
 * San Benedetto in Piscinula (at the beginning of the Trastevere in front of the Tiber Island)
 * Sant'Andrea delle Fratte
 * Santa Maria della Pietà
 * Santi Michele e Magno (in Borgo)
 * San Salvatore in Lauro
 * San Salvatore alle Coppelle (1195)
 * Santo Spirito in Sassia
 * Santa Maria in Cosmedin (1123)
 * San Gregorio Magno al Celio (late-12th century)
 * San Gregorio della Divina Pietà or San Gregorio a Ponte Quattro Capi (after 1403)
 * Santa Maria in Publicolis (1186)
 * Santa Maria in Monterone (1186)
 * San Macuto (1192)
 * Santa Maria in Monticelli
 * Santa Maria in Vallicella

13th century

 * San Francesco a Ripa (1231)
 * Sant'Eusebio (1238)
 * Santa Maria sopra Minerva (mid-13th century)
 * Santissime Stimmate di San Francesco (1297)
 * Oratory of San Francesco Saverio del Caravita (1238)

14th century

 * Santa Barbara dei Librai (1306)

15th century

 * Sant'Onofrio al Gianicolo (1439)
 * San Giacomo degli Spagnoli or Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore (1450)
 * Santa Maria del Popolo (1472)
 * Santa Maria della Pace (1482)
 * Sant'Agostino (1483)
 * San Pietro in Montorio (1500), titular church for a cardinal-priest
 * San Lorenzo in Damaso (15th century)
 * Sant'Agostino (1483)
 * San Bernardo della Compagnia (1418)
 * Santa Dorotea (1475)
 * San Giovanni Battista dei Genovesi (1481)
 * San Giuliano dei Fiamminghi
 * Santa Maria della Consolazione (1470)
 * Santa Maria dell'Anima (1431)

16th century



 * Santa Maria di Loreto (1507)
 * Santa Maria in Porta Paradisi (rebuilt in 1523)
 * Santa Caterina da Siena a Via Giulia (1526)
 * Santa Maria dell'Orto (1567)
 * Sant'Andrea in Via Flaminia, also known as Sant'Andrea del Vignola (1553)
 * Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (1561)
 * San Giovanni in Oleo
 * Santa Caterina dei Funari (1564)
 * San Giovanni Battista Decollato (1504)
 * Santa Maria della Pietà in Camposanto dei Teutonici
 * Santa Maria in Traspontina (1566)
 * Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte (1571)
 * Sant'Eligio degli Orefici (1575)
 * Santa Caterina a Magnanapoli (1575)
 * Church of the Gesù (1580)
 * Santa Maria dei Monti (1580)
 * San Giovanni Calibita (1584)
 * San Giovanni della Pigna (1584)
 * Trinità dei Monti (1585)
 * San Luigi dei Francesi (1589)
 * Sant'Andrea della Valle (1590)
 * Sant'Andrea degli Scozzesi (1592)
 * Santa Maria Odigitria al Tritone (1594)
 * Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli (1594)
 * Santa Maria dei Miracoli (1597)
 * Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini (1597)
 * San Bernardo alle Terme (1598)
 * Sant'Andrea in Via Flaminia (1554)
 * Santi Bartolomeo ed Alessandro dei Bergamaschi (1591)

17th century



 * Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini (1631)
 * San Carlo ai Catinari (1641)
 * Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto
 * Santa Maria Maddalena (1699)
 * San Giacomo in Augusta (1600)
 * Sant'Andrea al Quirinale (1670)
 * San Giovanni dei Fiorentini (1602)
 * Sant'Andrea delle Fratte (1604)
 * Santo Stefano del Cacco (1607)
 * Santa Maria della Scala (1610)
 * Santa Maria della Vittoria (1620)
 * Santi Ambrogio e Carlo (1612)
 * San Callisto (1613)
 * San Paolo alla Regola (1613) cardinal deaconry since 1946
 * Santa Maria della Vittoria (1620)
 * Santi Benedetto e Scholastica (1625)
 * San Bernardino in Panisperna (1625)
 * Sant'Ignazio (1626)
 * Sant'Egidio (1630)
 * San Nicola dei Lorenesi (1632)
 * Domine Quo Vadis (1637)
 * Sant'Antonio dei Portoghesi (1697)
 * San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (1641)
 * Santa Maria dei Sette Dolori (1655)
 * Sant'Andrea della Valle (1650)
 * Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio a Trevi (1650)
 * Sant'Agnese in Agone (1652)
 * Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza (1662)
 * San Giuseppe dei Falegnami (1663)
 * Santa Maria in Campitelli (1667)
 * San Carlo al Corso (1669)
 * Santa Maria in Montesanto (1675)
 * Gesù e Maria (1675)
 * Sant'Andrea al Quirinale (1678)
 * Santa Maria del Suffragio (1685)
 * San Bonaventura al Palatino (1689)
 * San Michele a Ripa (1693)
 * Santa Maria in Via Lata
 * San Francesco a Monte Mario (1676)
 * Santa Croce alla Lungara (1619)

18th century

 * Santi Claudio e Andrea dei Borgognoni (1731)
 * Santi Celso e Giuliano
 * Santissimo Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano (1735)
 * Santa Maria Annunziata in Borgo (1745)

19th century

 * Santa Chiara (1890)
 * St. Alphonsus Liguori Church (1859)
 * St Paul's Within the Walls (1880)
 * Sant'Antonio da Padova in Via Merulana (1884)
 * St Andrew's Church (1885)
 * Chiesa di Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino (1892–1896)
 * Sacro Cuore di Gesù a Castro Pretorio (1887)
 * San Giorgio e Martiri Inglesi (1887)
 * Sant'Alfonso di Liguori (1859)
 * Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino (1896)
 * Madonna dell'Archetto (1851)

20th century

 * Christuskirche (1910–1922)
 * Gran Madre di Dio (1933)
 * San Camillo de Lellis (1910)
 * Santa Croce in Via Flaminia (1918)
 * Sacro Cuore di Cristo Re (1920–1934)
 * Santa Maria Ausiliatrice (1936)
 * Santi Angeli Custodi a Città Giardino (1922), parochial church since 1926
 * Nostra Signora di Guadalupe a Monte Mario (1928–1932)
 * Gran Madre di Dio (1933–1937)
 * San Giovanni Battista dei Cavalieri di Rodi (1946)
 * Sant'Eugenio (1942–1951)
 * Sacro Cuore di Maria (1952)
 * Ss. Pietro e Paolo a Via Ostiense (1938–1955)
 * Santa Maria Addolorata a piazza Buenos Aires (1910–1930)
 * San Gregorio VII (1961)
 * San Policarpo all'Acquedotto Claudio (1960), parochial church; since 2015 also (youngest?) titular church for a Cardinal-priest
 * Santissimo Nome di Maria in Via Latina (1981)
 * Santa Sofia a Via Boccea (1968) (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
 * Santa Teresa (1902)
 * Sant'Elena (1914)

21st century



 * Dio Padre Misericordioso (2003)
 * Santa Caterina Martire (built in 2004, consecrated in 2009) - first Russian Orthodox church in Rome