L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 2 exquisite labyrinth full of his- toric nooks and crannies. Bologna invites you to lose yourself in this age-old wonder. First, cross the cobblestone canvas of Piazza Santo Stefano and enter the dark wooden door leading into the Church of the Crucifix. This is the largest of the seven churches. The church dedicates a space to the Passion of the Christ with a striking 18th c e n t u r y s c u l p t u r e n a m e d t h e " L a m e n t a t i o n o v e r t h e D e a d Christ." Above the stairs hangs a 1 4 t h c e n t u r y c r u c i f i x t h a t inspired the church's name. On the mezzanine above the stairs is the altar and underneath lays the crypt, built in 1019. M a n y p e o p l e c o m e t o t h i s sacred crypt to pray. It is divid- e d i n t o a s e r i e s o f a n t i q u e c o l u m n s , o n e o f w h i c h i s allegedly the exact height of Jesus. Exiting the crypt underneath the stairs you'll see a small door to the right. Behind this unas- suming door is a round shaped Holy Sepulcher with an 8th cen- tury reproduction of Christ's tomb modeled after the tomb in J e r u s a l e m . T h e b u i l d i n g i s adjoined by two Churches, as is the one in Jerusalem. B e h i n d t h e m a s s i v e t o m b r e p r o d u c t i o n y o u ' l l f i n d t h e C h u r c h o f S a i n t s V i t a l e a n d Agricola. This is Bologna's old- est church that has been remod- eled many times, especially after World War II bombings. Roman m a s o n r y a n d r e m a i n s o f t h e original mosaic floor remain i n t a c t , a l o n g w i t h p r e v i o u s Roman and Byzantine building styles. With a bare basilica struc- t u r e , t h i s c h u r c h h o l d s t h e ancient graves of Saints Vitale and Agricola that were exhumed b y S a i n t A m b r o g i o i n 3 9 2 . Vitale and Agricola were master a n d s e r v a n t w h o b e c a m e Bologna's martyrs when they lost their lives in 305 AD due to Emperor Diocletian's persecu- tion. The sarcophagi are adorned with remnants of lion, deer, and peacock. Return to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and enter the o p e n d o o r w a y i n t o P i l a t e ' s Courtyard. There is a gigantic white birdbath in the middle of the courtyard, only it is no ordi- nary birdbath. It is actually an 8th century reconstruction of Pontius Pilate's washbasin made in Lombardy. After Pilate sen- tenced Jesus to death, legend has it that he washed his hand in this b a s i n ' s o r i g i n a l l y l o c a t e d i n Jerusalem. Stand on your tiptoes to mar- vel at the marble basin for a few minutes; then continue through the courtyard into the 13th cen- tury Church of the Trinity or the Martyrium, which contains the a n c i e n t N a t i v i t y . T h e w o o d s c u l p t u r e r e p r e s e n t s t h e Adoration of the Magi. F o l l o w t h e C h u r c h o f t h e Trinity through to the medieval cloister. The first floor was con- structed around 1000, while the second floor has Roman-Gothic hues and columns depicting hor- rifying violent images. Dante Alighieri allegedly came to this courtyard often to study and reflect. The violent capitals of the medieval cloister inspired Dante to write the methods of a t o n e m e n t d e s c r i b e d i n Purgatory. On the other side of the clois- ter porticos stands the museum of Santo Stefano, with rare reli- gious objects and works of art from the diverse seven churches. For example, the asserted rock that killed Saint Stephen and rare fresco paintings depicting the lives of Bishop Petronio and Saint Stephen. In whichever corner of Santo Stefano you find yourself, be sure to enjoy the rich history of Bologna's ecclesiastical gem. Get lost in the twists and turns of the magnificent maze that is Santo Stefano Church. With seven churches in one, it's easy to get lost in Bologna's Church of Santo Stefano, com- m o n l y c a l l e d t h e " N e w Jerusalem". Modeled after the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, the seven churches that make up Santo Stefano are l o c a t e d i n t h e c i t y c e n t e r o f Emilia Romagna's capital. It all began in the 5th century w h e n B i s h o p P e t r o n i o , t h e patron saint of Bologna, built a settlement over the temple of the goddess Isis. Throughout the centuries, many churches and structures were added onto this b u i l d i n g . T o d a y t h e s e v e n churches of Santo Stefano are m e l d e d t o g e t h e r f o r m i n g a n The Church of Santo Stefano in Bologna, modeled after the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem Santo Stefano: Seven Churches in One JANE HUSON

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