The Basilica of St. Bartholomew on the Island ( it, Basilica di San Bartolomeo all'Isola , la, Basilica S. Bartholomaei in Insula) is a

titular Titular may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Title character in a narrative work, the character referred to in its title Religion * Titular (Catholicism), a cardinal who holds a titulus, one of the main churches of Rome ** Titular bisho ...

minor basilica In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...

, located in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Italy. It was founded in 998 by

Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor Otto III (June/July 980 – 23 January 1002) was Holy Roman Emperor from 996 until his death in 1002. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto III was the only son of the Emperor Otto II and his wife Theophanu. Otto III was crowned as King of ...

and contains the putative relics of St.

Bartholomew the Apostle Bartholomew (Aramaic: ; grc, Βαρθολομαῖος, translit=Bartholomaîos; la, Bartholomaeus; arm, Բարթողիմէոս; cop, ⲃⲁⲣⲑⲟⲗⲟⲙⲉⲟⲥ; he, בר-תולמי, translit=bar-Tôlmay; ar, بَرثُولَماو� ...

. It is located on

Tiber Island The Tiber Island ( it, Isola Tiberina, Latin: ''Insula Tiberina'') is the only river island in the part of the Tiber which runs through Rome. Tiber Island is located in the southern bend of the Tiber. The island is boat-shaped, approximately ...

, on the site of the former temple of Aesculapius, which had cleansed the island of its former ill-repute among the Romans and established its reputation as a hospital, continued under Christian auspices today. Its

cardinal priest A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

has been Cardinal

Blase Cupich Blase Joseph Cupich ( ; March 19, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, a cardinal who serves as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Cupich was ordained a priest there in 1975. He was nam ...

since 19 November 2016.

History

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...

times, the Temple of Aesculapius stood on the site of the modern church. The entire Isola Tiberina had actually been covered in

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

in an effort to make the island look like a ship. The

prow The bow () is the forward part of the hull of a ship or boat, the point that is usually most forward when the vessel is underway. The aft end of the boat is the stern. Prow may be used as a synonym for bow or it may mean the forward-most part ...

can still be seen today. Emperor Otto built this church over the temple's ruins on the eastern side (downstream end) of the island. It was initially dedicated to

Adalbert of Prague Adalbert of Prague ( la, Sanctus Adalbertus, cs, svatý Vojtěch, sk, svätý Vojtech, pl, święty Wojciech, hu, Szent Adalbert (Béla); 95623 April 997), known in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia by his birth name Vojtěch ( la, ...

. A portion of the relics of St. Bartholomew was given by

Otto II Otto II (955 – 7 December 983), called the Red (''der Rote''), was Holy Roman Emperor from 973 until his death in 983. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto II was the youngest and sole surviving son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy ...

to Rome in 983. The relics were sent to Rome from

Benevento Benevento (, , ; la, Beneventum) is a city and '' comune'' of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill above sea level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino (or Beneventano) and the ...

, where they had arrived in 838 from

Lipari Lipari (; scn, Lìpari) is the largest of the Aeolian Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the northern coast of Sicily, southern Italy; it is also the name of the island's main town and ''comune'', which is administratively part of the Metropol ...

. They are located within an ancient Roman porphyry sarcophagus with lions' heads, under the main altar. The marble wellhead bears the figures of the Savior, Adalbert, Bartholomew, and Otto III. The association with Aesculapius, and therefore healing, in time caused Bartholomew's name to become associated with medicine and hospitals. The church was renovated by Pope Paschal II in 1113 and again in 1180. The church was badly damaged by a flood in 1557 and was reconstructed, with its present

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...

façade, in 1624, to designs of

Orazio Torriani Orazio Torriani (or Torrigiani) (1578-1657) was an architect and sculptor who worked in Rome. Career In 1602 Torriani rebuilt the church of San Lorenzo in Miranda within the ''cella'' of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina. In 1624 he built ...

commissioned by Cardinal Trescio. Further restorations were undertaken in 1852. The interior of the church preserves fourteen ancient Roman columns and two lion supports that date from the earliest reconstruction of the basilica. The inscriptions found in S. Bartolomeo, a valuable source illustrating the history of the Basilica, have been collected and published by Vincenzo Forcella. In 2000, San Bartolomeo was dedicated by Pope

John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

to the memory of the new

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...

s of the 20th and 21st century.

Exterior

In the center of the piazzetta before the church is a four-sided '' guglia'' with saints in niches by the sculptor

Ignazio Jacometti Ignazio Jacometti (16 January 1819 in Rome – 22 April 1883 in Rome) was an Italian sculptor. He was a professor of sculpture at the Accademia di San Luca. Biography He was born the third of five children to Antonio and Anna Maria Lang. His fami ...

, erected here in 1869. The 12th-century tower near the church, the ''Torre dei

Caetani The House of Caetani, or Gaetani, is the name of an Italian noble family, originally from the city of Gaeta, connected by some to the lineage of the lords of the Duchy of Gaeta, as well as to the patrician Gaetani of the Republic of Pisa. It play ...

'', is all that remains of the medieval castello erected on the island by the

Pierleoni The family of the Pierleoni, meaning "sons of Peter Leo", was a great Roman patrician clan of the Middle Ages, headquartered in a tower house in the quarter of Trastevere that was home to a larger number of Roman Jews. The heads of the family ofte ...

Interior

San Bartolomeo houses the memorial to new

s of the 20th and 21st century, which was dedicated by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

in 2000. This memorial is taken care of by the

Community of Sant'Egidio The Community of Sant'Egidio ( it, Comunità di Sant'Egidio) is a lay Catholic association dedicated to social service, founded in 1968 under the leadership of Andrea Riccardi. The group grew and in 1973 was given a home at the former Carmelit ...

, who also painted the icon on the main altar. One of the relics that are kept as part of the memorial is the piece of rock that was used in 1984 to kill Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko.

List of Cardinal priests

San Bartolomeo all'Isola was established as the '' titulus'' (''Titulus S. Bartholomaei in Insula'') of a

by Pope Leo X on 6 July 1517. The title is held by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago. * Aegidius de Viterbo , (1517) *

Domenico Giacobazzi Domenico Giacobazzi (1444–1528) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal. Biography Domenico Giacobazzi was born in Rome in 1444, the son of a Roman patrician, Cristoforo Giacobazzi de Facheschis. He was the uncle of Cardinal Girolam ...

, (1517–1519) * ''vacant'' (1519–1533) *

Jean Le Veneur Jean Le Veneur (died 8 August 1543), son of a Norman baron, was a French Abbot, Bishop, Courtier, royal official, and Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography He was born into a noble family of Normandy. He was the second son of Philippe, baron of Til ...

, (1533–1543) *

Jacques d'Annebaut Jacques d'Annebaut (Denebaud, Anebault and Annebault) (died 1557) was a French cardinal. He was a cousin of Jean Le Veneur (their mothers Marie and Marguerite Blosset were sisters), and brother of Claude d'Annebault, marshal of France. He became ...

, (1547–1548) *

Bartolomé de la Cueva y Toledo Bartolomé de la Cueva y Toledo (24 August 1499 – 29 June 1562) was a Spanish Roman Catholic cardinal and bishop. Biography Bartolomé de la Cueva y Toledo was born in Cuéllar on 24 August 1499, the son of Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, ...

, (1551–1555) *

Fulvio Giulio della Corgna Fulvio Giulio della Corgna (also Della Cornia, Della Corgnia) (19 November 1517 – 2 March 1583) was a Tuscan Catholic bishop and cardinal. Biography Fulvio Giulio della Corgna was born in Perugia on 19 November 1517, the son of Francia della C ...

, (1555–1557) * ''vacant'' (1557–1562) *

Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle (20 August 151721 September 1586), Comte de La Baume Saint Amour, was a Bisontin (Free Imperial City of Besançon) statesman, made a cardinal, who followed his father as a leading minister of the Spanish Habsbur ...

, (1562–1568) * Diego de Espinosa , (1568) *

Giulio Antonio Santorio Giulio Antonio Santorio (6 June 1532 – 9 May 1602) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Biography Santorio was born in Caserta. He served as Archbishop of Santa Severina from 1566 until his death.

, (1570–1595) * Francesco Maria Tarugi , (1596–1602) *

Filippo Spinelli Filippo Spinelli (1566–1616) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography On 6 May 1592, he was consecrated bishop by Alfonso Gesualdo di Conza, Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia e Velletri. While bishop, he was the principal consecrator A consecr ...

, (1604–1608) * Michelangelo Tonti , (1608–1621) *

Gabriel Trejo y Paniagua Gabriel Trejo y Paniagua (1562 in Casas de Millán, Crown of Castile – 11 February 1630 in Málaga, Crown of Castile) was a Spanish cardinal, bishop and Rector of the University of Salamanca. Biography Born in Casas de Millán (Municipali ...

, (1621–1630) * Agostino Spinola Basadone , (1631–1649) * ''vacant'' (1649–1654) *

Ottavio Acquaviva d'Aragona (iuniore) Ottavio Acquaviva d'Aragona, iuniore (1609–1674) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. He was Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals The Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals was the treasurer of the College of Cardinals in the ...

, (1654–1658) * ''vacant'' (1658–1670) *

Francesco Nerli (seniore) Francesco Nerli, seniore (1594–1670) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography On 6 Jun 1650, he was consecrated bishop by Giovanni Giacomo Panciroli, Cardinal-Priest of Santo Stefano al Monte Celio, with Giovanni Battista Rinuccini, Archbi ...

, (1670) * Johann Eberhard Graf Neidhardt , (1672–1679) * ''vacant'' (1679–1696) *

Giovanni Giacomo Cavallerini Giovanni Giacomo Cavallerini (1639–1699) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography Giovanni Giacomo Cavallerini was born on 16 Feb 1639 in Rome. On 30 Jun 1692, he was consecrated bishop by Fabrizio Spada, Cardinal-Priest of San Crisogono, ...

, (1696–1699) * Niccolò Radulovich , (1700–1702) * ''vacant'' (1702–1707) * Francesco Acquaviva . (1707–1709) * ''vacant'' (1709–1721) * Alvaro Cienfuegos (1721–1739) * ''vacant'' (1739–1782) * József Batthyány , (1782–1799) * ''vacant'' (1799–1803) * Pietro Francesco Galeffi , (1803–1820) *

Bonaventura Gazzola Bonaventura may refer to: * Bonaventura (given name), given name * Bonaventura (surname), surname * Bonaventura (VTA), light-rail station in San Jose, United States of America * ''Signor Bonaventura'', an Italian comic strip * Bonaventura Heinz Hou ...

, (1824–1832) *

Engelbert Sterckx Engelbert Sterckx (2 November 1792 – 4 December 1867), was the Archbishop of Mechelen, Belgium from 1832 to 1867. Life Engelbert (Engelbertus) Sterckx was born 2 November 1792 in Ophem, Brabant. His parents were farmers. He began his studies ...

, (1838–1867) * ''vacant'' (1867–1874) *

János Simor János Simor (23 August 1813 – 23 January 1891) was a Hungarian prelate of the Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Esztergom from 1867 until his death in 1891. He was previously Bishop of Győr from 1857 to 1867. He was made a cardinal in 187 ...

, (1874–1891) *

Mario Mocenni Mario Mocenni (22 January 1823—14 November 1904) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, who served both in Nuncio, the diplomatic service of the Holy See and in the Roman Curia, and was elevated to t ...

, (1893–1894) *

Egidio Mauri Egidio Mauri (9 December 1828 – 13 March 1896) was an Italian cardinal, since 1893 Archbishop of Ferrara, member of the Dominican Order The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is ...

, (1894–1895) * Johann Evangelist Haller , (1896–1900) * Bartolomeo Bacilieri , (1901–1923) *

Enrico Gasparri Enrico Gasparri S.T.D. JUD (25 July 1871 – 20 May 1946) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop. Biography Enrico was ordained on 10 August 1894 at the age of 23. He studied in Rome receiving degrees in theology and philosophy and w ...

, (1925–1933) *

Carlo Salotti Carlo Salotti (25 July 1870 – 24 October 1947) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as prefect of the Congregation of Rites from 1938 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate ''in pectore'' in 1933. Bio ...

, (1936–1939) *

Gregorio Pietro Agagianian Gregorio Pietro XV Agagianian (; anglicized: ''Gregory Peter''; Western hy, Գրիգոր Պետրոս ԺԵ. Աղաճանեան, ''Krikor Bedros ŽĒ. Aghajanian''; born Ghazaros Aghajanian, 15 September 1895 – 16 May 1971) was an Armen ...

(1946–1970) *

Aníbal Muñoz Duque Aníbal Muñoz Duque (3 October 1908 – 15 January 1987) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of Bogotá. Biography He was born in Santa Rosa de Osos, Colombia as the son of José María Muñoz and Ana Rosa Duque. He was educate ...

, (1973–1987) * Mario Revollo Bravo , (1988–1995) *

Francis Eugene George Francis Eugene George (January 16, 1937 – April 17, 2015) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the eighth Archbishop of Chicago in Illinois (1997–2014) and previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Yakima and A ...

, (1998–2015) *

Blase Joseph Cupich Blase Joseph Cupich ( ; March 19, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, a cardinal who serves as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Cupich was ordained a priest there in 1975. He was named ...

, (2016–Present)

References

* Touring Club Italiano (TCI), 1965. ''Roma e dintorni''

External links