Second Sunday of Lent Santa Maria in Domnica It is uncertain where the word “Domnica” originates. It is said, however, that there was a primitive oratory built over the house of a noble Roman matron, Saint Cyriaca, whose name in Greek means “Lady” from the word kyrios. Since her Latinized name would be Domina, it may later have degenerated into Domnica. According to her fabulous Passio, after she had been a widow for eleven years, Saint Cyriaca offered herself and her fortune to the Christians. During the persecution they would convene at her house on the Coelian Hill to celebrate the divine mysteries. This same Cyriaca also knew Saint Lawrence the deacon-martyr, who healed her from an affliction of the head. Again, from her house, both she and the famous deacon tended to the needs of the poor and the sick, “the treasure of the Church.” After the death of Saint Lawrence in the Valerian persecution (258), Saint Cyriaca was arrested, and having endured terrible torments, she was scourged to death for her faith on August 23. Her body was buried in the Agro Verano, not far from that of Saint Lawrence. An alternate theory holds that “domnica” means “imperial foundation of possession.” In other words, the church might have been built on property of the state or Imperial family. It is difficult to say how old the church is; however, in the eighth century it was already listed as one of the twenty-four deaconries of Rome. More simply, the word might be a corruption of “dominicum,” a common Latin word for “church” and especially for house-churches. It was built on the site of a Roman barracks. From the sixteenth century the church has popularly been called alla navicella because of the small antique marble ship erected in the piazza in front of the church. Perhaps this came as a votive offering from a Roman sailor, or perhaps it came from the nearby temple of Jupiter redux. The water is Acqua Felice. The church was dedicated to the Madonna, and it was completely restored and embellished by Paschal I (817-824) who was responsible for the mosaics here and at the churches of Santa Prassede and Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. He retained the original pillars and plan of the basilica, adding only the apses at the end. The beautiful mosaic is important for two reasons: it is here for the first time in Christian art that the Madonna occupies the central position with the Christ Child in her lap – perhaps a protest against iconoclasm – and in the framing outside the apse Christ is depicted for the first time in Rome seated on a rainbow surrounded by a nimbus of light. Notice that the Holy Father has a square halo, telling us that he was alive when the mosaic was made. Alterations to the church were commissioned by Pope Leo X (the pope with whom Martin Luther quarreled), with the great Raphael (1483-1520) as his architect. The relics of Saint Balbina are under the main altar. Location: On the Coelian Hill on the Via della Navicella, up from the Via Claudia from the Colosseum. Directions: From Piazza Venezia take Bus 81 past the Colosseum and up Via Claudia, which turns into Via della Navicella. The church is up on the right.