Santo Stefano degli Abissini
St Stephen of the Abyssinians (Italian: Santo Stefano degli Abissini) is an Ethiopian Catholic church located in Vatican City. The church dedicated to Stephen the Protomartyr is the national church of Ethiopia. The liturgy is celebrated according to the Alexandrian rite of the Ethiopian Catholic Church. It is one of the only standing structures in the Vatican to survive the destruction of Old St. Peter's Basilica, and thus it is the oldest surviving church (in terms of architectural history) in Vatican City.[1]
| St Stephen of the Abyssinians Santo Stefano degli Abissini | |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Coptic Catholic |
| Rite | Alexandrian Rite (Coptic) |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | National Church in Rome of Ethiopia |
| Location | |
| Location | Vatican City |
  Location on a map of Vatican City | |
| Geographic coordinates | 41°54′06.47″N 012°27′06.74″E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 5th century[1] or 8th century |
| Completed | 9th century |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 35 metres (115 ft) |
| Width | 20 metres (66 ft) |
| Width (nave) | 10 metres (33 ft) |
History
The church was, by tradition, built by Pope Leo I (ca. 400–461), and named Santo Stefano Maggiore.[2]
In 1479, Pope Sixtus IV restored the church and assigned it to the Coptic monks in the city. It was at this time that the name was changed to reflect that it was served by Ethiopians (Abyssinian). It was altered under Pope Gregory XI (1700–1721), and again in 1928.
Exterior
The façade is in the style of the early 18th century. The 12th century doorway, decorated with the Lamb and the Cross, has been preserved.
Interior
The church has a single nave with ancient columns along the sides. The most important work of art is a fresco of the Madonna with Child in the Roman style from the 15th century.
Liturgy
The Feast of St. Stephen is celebrated on 26 December.
Notes
- Metropolitan Museum of Art 1983, p. 151
- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santo Stefano degli Abissini. |
- Touring Club Italiano (1999), Roma, S.L.: Touring Club Italiano, ISBN 88-365-1324-7
- Metropolitan Museum of Art (1983), The Vatican:spirit and art of Christian Rome, Malibu: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, p. 151, ISBN 0-87099-348-8,
It is the oldest surviving church in the Vatican, for it dates back to Pope Leo the Great (440-461)
- Webb, Matilda (2001), The Churches and Catacombs of Early Christian Rome, Brighton: Sussex Academic Press, p. 36, ISBN 1-902210-57-3
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