Basilica of San Lorenzo Outside the Walls
The Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, a place of profound veneration, is dedicated to the deacon Lawrence, who was martyred on August 10, 258, during the persecutions of Emperor Valerian.
In 330, Emperor Constantine, as reported in the Liber Pontificalis, isolated the martyr's tomb, facilitating access for the faithful with the construction of a staircase, the Gradus ascensionis et descensionis. At the same time, he had a large cemetery Basilica built, the so-called Basilica maior, at the foot of the Verano hill.
The Constantinian Basilica survived until the 9th century, although already at the end of the 6th century a landslide had compromised its stability.
Pope Pelagius II, in 580, built a new Basilica, the Basilica minor, with three naves to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims. For a period, the two Basilicas coexisted: the Constantinian one, dedicated to the Madonna at an unspecified time, and the Pelagian one. However, between the 9th and 12th centuries, the former was probably abandoned and destroyed.
Between the 12th and 13th centuries, a fortified citadel, Laurenziopoli, developed around the church, with defensive walls and towers, destined to disappear in the Renaissance period. Today, the massive bell tower to the right of the Basilica, erected on one of the defensive towers, bears witness to the ancient citadel.
It is said that the Holy Grail was brought here from Jerusalem in the 2nd century, when Pope Sixtus V entrusted it to the deacon Lawrence. According to legend, the Holy Grail is located right in the Saint's tomb.
The Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, a mosaic of epochs and memories, where faith has overcome the challenges of time, offers visitors an experience of profound spirituality and a journey through the history of Christianity.
