St. Paul’s Outside the Walls is a Roman basilica that was built to be the most revered place of worship in the entire city. At its consecration by Pope Silicious in 395, St. Paul’s became the largest basilica in Rome (The Vatican). It was designed to improve upon the humble structure built by Constantine, consecrated in 324, to honor the tomb of the Apostle Paul. The new basilica was intended to better accommodate the many pilgrims who came to worship at Paul’s tomb. The three emperors who mandated its construction, Theodosius, Valentian II, and Arcadius, insisted that it be larger and more magnificent than the Constantinian basilica (Brandenburg 114). The basilica was called San Paolo fuori le Mura, or St. Paul’s Outside the Walls.

St. Paul’s is an awesome structure that employs architectural principals in ways never seen in a basilica before. The work of many artists and designers filled St. Paul’s with mosaics, statues, paintings, and architectural ornamentation. It was a beacon for those who had come to pay their respects, find fellowship, or discover new life through a new religion. This inspiring sanctuary for the faithful should be preserved so it can continue on its mission to the world.
Prior to building the first structure, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313. Up until this time, Rome had been a pagan empire where Christians had been periodically persecuted and driven underground. Constantine changed all this after having seen a vision of a cross during a military campaign, accompanied by the words “By this sign you shall be victorious.” He then defeated a far larger army and became convinced that he was under the protection of the Christian God. This led him to grant to Christians full freedom of worship, return all confiscated items to the church, and give them funds from the imperial treasury. He also stripped power from the empire’s provincial governors and bestowed it on the local bishops. This was followed by many pagan conversions which created huge congregations who needed a place to gather. Constantine then mandated that Christian churches be built throughout the empire (Brandenburg 16-18).

Many of these churches took the form of a basilica, or a rectangular hall with rows of columns. In the past, this type of structure had commonly been used for a variety of secular purposes (Fiero). This form may have been chosen to make Christianity feel less foreign to new converts. Most of these churches were rather simple and consisted of only a main hall. Like St. Peter’s before, shown in Image 1, St. Paul’s took a more elaborate form.
Image 1<a href="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Diagram1.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-565" src="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Diagram1.png" alt="" width="628" height="295" /></a>

Source:  Gloria K. Fiero; “The Christian Identity”; The Humanistic Tradition Vol. 1 (2011):  N. pag.; Web.

The unroofed atrium was the main entryway and was flanked by covered walkways called ambulatories. Crossing the narthex led one into the more sacred central hall, or nave. The nave had two aisles on either side to provide more space for worshipers. At the front of the nave was a rectangular chamber known as a transept, beyond which was the apse, the site where communion was received (---.).
Though completed and consecrated in 395, work on the basilica never really stopped. It was so loved that subsequent popes wanted to restore and add to it with new paintings and mosaics. St. Paul’s was known throughout the empire as a welcoming site for pilgrims and a storehouse of precious artworks (The Vatican). It even attracted the attention of several groups of pirates who took advantage of its location near the Tiber River. This caused Pope John VIII to build a wall around St. Paul’s that led to the founding of a small village, called Johannipolis in honor of their protector (Vicchi 94).

But it was more than art that drew the faithful to St. Paul’s. In an innovation it shared with St. Peter’s the tomb of the Apostle lay directly beneath the transept. This offered a unique opportunity to draw strength and pray in his perceived presence. Pilgrims who approached the tomb were greeted by a huge marble slab engraved with the words “Paolo Apostolo Martyri”, or St. Paul the Martyr Apostle, with several holes piercing through to the tomb. Many pilgrims wanted so much to be close to Paul that they would lower strips of linen through these holes to touch his bones, believing that this would confer a healing ability (Runckel).

The mere existence of St. Paul’s must have also felt like the final triumph over oppression. After Constantine’s edict of 313 there was one more attempt to revive paganism to the detriment of Christianity. Emperor Julian took power in 360 and began to revoke many of the privileges that Christians had been granted. Fortunately for Christians, Julian ruled for only three years and after his reign Christianity was reestablished as the official Roman religion (Morey). Less than 30 years later, when the doors of St. Paul’s were opened for the first time, its luminous interior must have signified the dawn of a new era of freedom.

St. Paul’s continues to play an active role in the Roman church. It houses the annual feast that commemorates the conversion of the Apostle Paul to Christianity. It has also been designated as the site of two significant papal tasks: The Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the planning of ecumenical initiatives (The Vatican). St. Paul’s continues to be viewed as a valued resource for the church as it most likely will for years to come.

When the improved St. Paul’s was conceived, one of the goals was to surpass the other major basilica in town, St. Peter’s (Runckel). Historical records confirm that it succeeded on many levels. It was a larger structure whose proportions were more congruent, creating a more cohesive appearance. The transept and the apse were both deeper allowing greater number of pilgrims to approach the primary places of worship. These components also spanned the width of the nave, creating a more spacious appearance (Brandenburg 115). This openness is one of the most noted characteristics of St. Paul’s and was further supported by the unique style of its other appointments.

The columns of the colonnades were more widely spaced creating more unity between nave and aisle. Above these columns was an arcade, or row of arch shaped windows, that allowed light to infuse the nave with its energy. As in St. Peter’s, this space was usually reserved for a row of ornate decoration, or entablature. The aisles of St. Paul’s also had taller windows, which added to the luminous effect (Brandenburg 116).

The furnishings of St. Paul’s also showed a significant departure from common practice. St. Peter’s had largely been fitted out with spoils taken from other ancient buildings. By the time of St. Paul’s a decree had been issued to end this practice. As a result, the ornaments of St. Paul’s were constructed of imported Proconnesian marble. The light color and uniformity of this material contributed greatly to the overall luminous effect of St. Paul’s. This also allowed for custom made columns and capitols of exceptional quality. The columns of the nave were fluted in a return to classic form. The capitols, or capstones, of these columns were of a highly ornate Corinthian style. Both were created with the highest standards of craftsmanship and greatly exceeded the standard of the day (Brandenburg 116).

Though the lavish interior has had to endure the effects of numerous fires and earthquakes efforts have been made to preserve the original feel of the basilica. Many significant artworks have survived in a restored state and are still on display to this day. This includes a series of portraits depicting each pope that runs above the columns of the central and outer colonnades (Vicchi 108). To see the popes in this airy, welcoming space makes them seem more approachable. In the apse is a heavily restored mosaic depicting Christ enthroned along with Peter and Andrew on his left and Paul with Luke the evangelist on Christ’s right side. Placing Paul instead of Peter at Jesus’ right hand signifies his primacy in the basilica that bears his name (Vicchi 110). All hold pieces of inscribed parchment to signify the message that they bring to all humankind. The others are reaching out with their free hands toward Christ, wanting to be near their savior.

Also preserved was an elaborate, well rendered mosaic depicting a scene from Revelation. Christ appears in the central portion flanked by two staff bearing angels. To the sides are the 24 elders who cast down their crowns before Christ. Flying overhead are the four creatures, lion, calf, man, and eagle, who ceaselessly praise God day and night (Vicchi 111). The mosaic is exquisitely rendered in form, color, and subject, with one glaring exception: the face of Christ. Elsewhere in St. Paul’s Jesus is depicted with his usual serene, compassionate visage. In this mosaic he appears with the oversized, gaunt features of a caveman. This horrible rendering is a blight on an otherwise beautiful piece of art.
Other notable works include a series of frescoes placed between the windows of the arcade. These depict scenes from the Apostles life, each including a descriptive caption held aloft by cherubim (Vicchi 103, 108). The basilica also has a group of heavily stylized brass doors which are meant to symbolize the passage into eternal life through Christ. These doors are decorated with a variety of scenes from the lives of Christ and the Apostles. One door in particular, known due to its style as the Byzantine Door, is revered as “…one of the most beautiful doors of its kind in existence…” (Vicchi 101-103).
San Paolo fuori le Mura is no longer the largest church in Rome, having been surpassed by St. Peter’s after it was restored in 1626 (The Vatican). But to me, that is less important than the fact that it continues to serve its original purpose of providing a sanctuary for those who want to draw nearer to God. The space is awe inspiring, many of the artworks are stunning and one of a kind, but this is secondary to the basilicas role in bringing the faith of compassion to a violent, pagan world.
I also find it fitting that the place of veneration of the Apostle to the Gentiles has been designated for the sacrament of reconciliation. Paul took up the difficult task of bringing the message to a foreign people who had no prior knowledge of a messianic tradition. And those who approach St. Paul’s seeking redemption must feel like foreigners trying to gain re-admission to the Promised Land.
St. Paul’s Outside the Walls should be remembered as one of the first major sites that was built to welcome weary and dedicated pilgrims. It houses the remains of the Apostle who is probably responsible for more conversions than any other. The light, spacious, art filled interior inspires reverence in a way that is warm and welcoming. Far from being a dreary place of the dead, it should be known that St, Paul’s was created to minister to the needs of the living.

Brandenburg, Hugo. Ancient Churches of Rome From the Fourth to the Seventh Century. Trans. Andreas Kropp. Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols Publishers N.V., 2005. Print.
Fiero, Gloria K. “The Arts of the Roman Empire.” The Humanistic Tradition Vol. 1. By Fiero. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2011. N. pag. McGraw Hill’s Connect. Web. 05 March 2011
---. “The Christian Identity.” The Humanistic Tradition Vol. 1. By Fiero. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2011. N. pag. McGraw Hill’s Connect. Web. 04 March 2011
Morey, William C. “The Reorganization of the Empire” Outlines of Roman History. By Morey. New York, Cincinnati, Chicago: American Book Company, 1901. N. pag. Forum Romanum. Web. 04 March. 2011 http://www.forumromanum.org/history/morey28.html
Runckel, Charles. “S. Paolo fuori le mura (Basilica of St. Paul's outside the walls).” Dartmouth Department of Classics. Dartmouth University, 24 Oct. 2005. Web. 04 March 2011.
The Vatican. The Papal Basilica Saint Paul Outside the Walls. 04 March 2011. Web. http://www.vatican.edu/various/basiliche/san_paolo/index_en.html
Vicchi, Roberta. The Major Basilicas of Rome. Ed. Patrizia Bevilacqua. Trans. Susan Scott. Antella (Florence): Scala Group S.p.A., 1999. Print.