The San Cesareo in Palatio Church in Rome is also called the San Cesareo de Appia and is dedicated to the Holy martyr Caesarius of Africa. In 1517 Pope Leo X made it into a titular church. It is only open on Sunday mornings.
San Cesareo in Palatio Church Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
Address Chiesa di San Cesareo in Palatio: Via di Porta San Sebastiano, snc – 00179 Rome. Phone: +39 06 58230140. Opening hours: Sundays from 09.30 till 12.00; rest of the week: Only on request. Closed: August. Admission: Free. Bus: 118, 218.
History and description
Caesarius died a martyr’s death in Terracina, a coastal village south of Rome. When the Emperor Valentianus I happened to be cured of a serious illness in this city, he ordered the relics of the saint to be transported to Rome. They were to be kept in a then new church on the Palatine hill, which would later become the San Cesareo in Palatio.
The pulpit, the altar and the bishop’s seat are all adorned with animal figures. This was done by order of Pope Clemens VIII, whose coat-of-arms can also be seen on the ceiling of the church.
The present version San Cesareo in Palatio stems from the year 1602 and was also commissioned by Clemens VIII. Most of the frescoes show scenes from the life of Caesarius. However, there are also several others depicting scenes from the lives of various saints called Hippolytus, coincidentally also the birth name of Pope Clemens VIII.