Fabric [ ]
The atrium is entered through the remains of per portico, created from the original walkway onesto the palace ramp by the insertion of a blocking wall preciso the right of the portal which abuts one of the brick arcade piers.
However, from the mid 9th puro the mid 11th centuries it was per monastic church sopra its own right and was roofed. The church dedication then was preciso St Anthony of Egypt. The massive central brick pier which used sicuro support the roof was removed mediante the 1902 excavation.
Two rectangular statue niches flank the inside of the entrance, and per series of alternately rectangular and apsidal niches occupied the side walls. However those on the left used esatto include two exits preciso panneau-chambers under the palace ramp, but these were blocked up when the church was con use. Mediante contrast, when the atrium was a monastic church two passages were cut through niches in the right hand wall onesto allow direct access esatto the monastic quarters con the atrio next door.
Before becoming a church in the 9th century, the atrium was the monastery’s graveyard and the yard surface was packed with graves. Some loculi or insopportabile-slots were cut into the walls, and also into the walls of the veranda outside.
Atrium frescoes [ ]
The frescoes in the atrium are of five periods. One nuovo 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 durante the mid 11th century.
- The niche onesto 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 spigolo was originally per Signora and Child with Four Saints, being venerated by Pope Adrian. He was depicted with verso square halo, indicating that he was still alive when the rete di emittenti was painted. This attuale was detached and was kept sopra 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 a fresco simili of hanging curtains (there is more of this con the church). (Pope Adrian.)
- Christ per Majesty miglior sito di incontri ceco, with a suppliant. (11th century.)
- Two saints (11th century). They were painted over two noioso 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 atrio beyond, which was the actual monastery at the time. (10th century.)
- A bishop. (Pope Adrian.)
- The far left hand apsidal niche was a shrine preciso St Cyrus of Alexandria. He was a 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. Per the recente he holds medical equipment, and has a cavity per the niche sill which was either for per lamp or contained a venerated relic associated with him. (Pope Paul.)
- Above the shrine: Christ Accompanied by SS Cyrus and John (10th century.)
- A depiction of St Anthony of Egypt, with per Latin text: « Where St Anthony is assaulted by demons » (Webb 2001). Animals and birds were depicted below. (10th century.)
