Monday of the Second Week at the Basilica of St Clement

Today finds us in a jewel box of a church, one whose embellishment over the last 1400 years comes harmoniously together in the glory of the God Who has been worshiped on this site since the early days of the Church of Rome.  St. Clement, from whom this church takes its name, is believed to have been the fourth pope.  While certain details are scantly, it seems likely that he was either a freed slave or son of a freed slave who had been a member of the Imperial household.  Clement wrote a letter to the Corinthians, with the authenticity of other writings being held in doubt by many.  Tradition relates that he was banished to the Crimea by the Emperor Trajan, where he continued the work of evangelization.  As a result of this, he was sentenced to death by being tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea.  It seems that his relics were recovered and buried nearby, where they would later be found with the anchor by St. Cyril.

In 1857, the rector, Fr. Joseph Mullooly, began excavating under the floor of the current church, and found the remains of both the older basilica and even older remains from the classical period.  Although flooding made work difficult, a new drainage trench alleviated these problems, and today the excavations under the church are some of the most interesting in the city. (From Prcedamous in Pacem, PNAC)

Collect

O God, who have taught us 

to chasten our bodies for the healing of our souls, 

enable us, we pray, to abstain from all sins, 

and strengthen our hearts to carry out your loving commands. 

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

one God, for ever and ever.

Front courtyard and facade

General view of the coro and main altar

Apse: Christ the vine and we the branches.