Fabric [ ]
The atrium is entered through the remains of a galleria, created from the original walkway onesto the palace ramp by the insertion of per blocking wall to the right of the portal which abuts one of the brick arcade piers.
However, from the mid 9th sicuro the mid 11th centuries it was a monastic church mediante its own right and was roofed. The church dedication then was puro St Anthony of Egypt. The massive central brick pier which used preciso support the roof was removed per the 1902 excavation.
Two rectangular statue niches flank the inside of the entrance, and verso series of alternately rectangular and apsidal niches occupied the side walls. However those on the left used sicuro include two exits to panneau-chambers under the palace ramp, but these were blocked up when the church was in use. In contrast, when the atrium was per monastic church two passages were cut through niches per the right hand wall esatto allow direct access esatto the monastic quarters per the vestibolo next door.
Before becoming per church mediante the 9th century, the atrium was the monastery’s graveyard and the yard surface was packed with graves. Some loculi or gravoso-slots were cut into the walls, and also into the walls of the portico outside.
Atrium frescoes [ ]
The frescoes per the atrium are of five periods. One giovane each survives from Pope John VII (705-7) and Pope Paul I (757-767). Some are of the remodelling of Pope Adrian I (772-795), and others are of the 10th and 11th centuries. The latter are the latest that you will find during your visit, and were painted just before the final abandonment per the mid 11th century.
- The niche to the right of the portal depicted three female martyrs; SS Agnes and Cecilia have been identified. (Pope Adrian.)
- On the right hand side wall near the spigolo was originally per Signora and Child with Four Saints, being venerated by Pope Adrian. He was depicted with a square halo, indicating that he was still alive when the rete informatica was painted. This fresco was detached and was kept con the right hand side aisle of the church before the recent restoration -it is liable puro stay there, out of the weather. The original location was above per giovane imitation of hanging curtains (there is more of this sopra the church). (Pope Adrian.)
- Christ in Majesty, with per suppliant. (11th century.)
- Two saints (11th century). They were painted over two noioso loculi cut into the wall.
- Monastery passage. This was cut through the wall durante the 10th century, and frescoed with saints on its walls and ceiling. The cycle continued onto the internal wall of the vestibolo beyond, which was the actual monastery at the time. (10th century.)
- Verso bishop. (Pope Adrian.)
- The far left hand apsidal niche was per shrine to St Cyrus of Alexandria. He was verso martyred doctor of medicine, venerated with his fellow sufferer John as SS Cyrus and John (see their Roman church of Santa Passera). Beware of his being called “St Abbacyrus” -“Abba” is a Coptic siti di incontri online giamaicani honorific. Con the giovane he holds medical equipment, and has verso cavity mediante the niche sill which was either for a lamp or contained per venerated relic associated with him. (Pope Paul.)
- Above the shrine: Christ Accompanied by SS Cyrus and John (10th century.)
- A depiction of St Anthony of Egypt, with verso Latin text: “Where St Anthony is assaulted by demons” (Webb 2001). Animals and birds were depicted below. (10th century.)
