Fabric [ ]
The atrium is entered through the remains of verso balcone, created from the original walkway sicuro the palace ramp by the insertion of verso blocking wall sicuro the right of the portal which abuts one of the brick arcade piers.
However, from the mid 9th sicuro the mid 11th centuries it was verso monastic church sopra its own right and was roofed. The church dedication then was esatto St Anthony of Egypt. The massive central brick pier which used to support the roof was removed in the 1902 excavation.
Two rectangular statue niches flank the inside of the entrance, and verso series of alternately rectangular and apsidal niches occupied the side walls. However those on the left used sicuro include two exits to store-chambers under the palace ramp, but these were blocked up when the church was con use. Durante contrast, when the atrium was per monastic church two passages were cut through niches per the right hand wall puro allow direct access to the monastic quarters mediante the vestibolo next door.
Before becoming a church con the 9th century, the atrium was the monastery’s graveyard and the yard surface was packed with graves. Some loculi or noioso-slots were cut into the walls, and also into the walls of the loggia outside.
Atrium frescoes [ ]
The frescoes sopra the atrium are of five periods. One recente each survives from Pope John VII (705-7) and Pope Paul I (757-767). Some are of the remodelling of Pope Adrian I (772-795), and others are of the 10th and 11th centuries. The latter are the latest that you will find during your visit, and were painted just before the final abandonment con the mid 11th century.
- The niche puro the right of the portal depicted three female martyrs; SS Agnes and Cecilia have been identified. (Pope Adrian.)
- On the right hand side wall near the corner was originally per Monna and Child with Four Saints, being venerated by Pope lovingwomen.org i migliori siti di tesine Adrian. He was depicted with a square halo, indicating that he was still alive when the work was painted. This fresco was detached and was kept per the right hand side aisle of the church before the recent restoration -it is liable onesto stay there, out of the weather. The original location was above per recente substitut of hanging curtains (there is more of this con the church). (Pope Adrian.)
- Christ con Majesty, with a suppliant. (11th century.)
- Two saints (11th century). They were painted over two grave loculi cut into the wall.
- Monastery passage. This was cut through the wall per the 10th century, and frescoed with saints on its walls and ceiling. The cycle continued onto the internal wall of the ingresso beyond, which was the actual monastery at the time. (10th century.)
- Per bishop. (Pope Adrian.)
- The far left hand apsidal niche was per shrine sicuro St Cyrus of Alexandria. He was per martyred doctor of medicine, venerated with his fellow sufferer John as SS Cyrus and John (see their Roman church of Santa Passera). Beware of his being called “St Abbacyrus” -“Abba” is per Coptic honorific. In the nuovo he holds medical equipment, and has verso cavity con the niche sill which was either for verso lamp or contained per venerated relic associated with him. (Pope Paul.)
- Above the shrine: Christ Accompanied by SS Cyrus and John (10th century.)
- Per depiction of St Anthony of Egypt, with a Latin text: “Where St Anthony is assaulted by demons” (Webb 2001). Animals and birds were depicted below. (10th century.)