Via Appia Antica 136, Rome, Italy
Basilica of San Sebastiano fuori le Mura
One of the seven pilgrim churches of Rome, built over the catacombs where early Christians — and possibly the remains of Peter and Paul — were temporarily sheltered.
This church sits on the Via Appia Antica, the old Roman road that runs south from the city, and it guards the entrance to some of Rome's most important catacombs. Christians were burying their dead in the soft tufa rock beneath this spot by the second century, and a tradition holds that the relics of Peter and Paul were hidden here during the persecution of Valerian in 258. The catacombs run for kilometers underground — narrow tunnels cut into the rock, lined with niches where bodies were placed and sealed with tiles. Some of these tiles still bear scratched inscriptions and the chi-rho symbol. Above ground, the current church dates to the seventeenth century, rebuilt by Cardinal Scipione Borghese over the original fourth-century basilica. Inside, the Chapel of Relics holds one of the arrows said to have pierced St. Sebastian and the column to which he was tied. A marble statue attributed to Bernini's workshop shows Sebastian slumped against the column. The Platonia chapel in the crypt may mark the temporary resting place of the apostles. The church is one of Rome's seven pilgrim basilicas, though fewer visitors come here than to the others.
Diocese: Diocese of Rome
Style: Baroque (rebuilt 17th century over 4th-century foundations)
What to See
Start with the catacombs, accessed through the church. Guided tours descend into the tunnels and last about thirty minutes. The burial niches, carved graffiti, and early Christian symbols are visible along the route, and the guides point out the area where the apostles' relics may have rested. Back upstairs, the Chapel of Relics is behind the main altar and contains the arrow relic, the column, and a stone bearing what is said to be a footprint of Christ from the Domine Quo Vadis tradition. The Bernini-school statue of Sebastian is in the first chapel on the left. The Platonia chapel in the crypt has ancient masonry and an early inscription. The church exterior, visible from the Appian Way, is plain but the setting along the tree-lined ancient road is striking.
Pilgrim Notes
The basilica is about three kilometers south of the Colosseum on the Via Appia Antica. Bus 118 from the Colosseum or Circus Maximus stops nearby, or you can walk along the Appian Way, which is a good experience in itself. The catacombs require a guided tour with a fee; the church above is free. The site is closed on Sundays and for a midday break. Combine this with the nearby Church of Domine Quo Vadis and the catacombs of San Callisto, all within walking distance along the same road. Wear a light jacket — the catacombs are cool year-round.