Uno spazio cultuale dedicato a san Lorenzo? Riflessioni sul cosiddetto oratorio di papa Formoso (891-896)

The so-called oratory of pope Formosus (891-896), located on the slopes of the Caelian hill in Rome, was rediscovered by Giovanni Ciampini in september 1689. The main sources for the understanding of this christian monument are Ciampini’s description and drawing, produced during the site’s recovey and now preserved in the Vatican Apostolic Library. This study proposes, throught a careful analysis of the surviving graphic representation, a preliminary dating of the building to the imperial period, based on its proximity to the monumental Temple of Claudius. The transformation of the site into a christian place of worship, however, is connected to early medieval Rome. In particular, the Liber Pontificalis refers to major restoration works promoted by pope Stephen II (752-757), including those involving the ancient basilica of San Lorenzo super sanctum Clementem, located in regio III. The oratory’s physical closeness to the basilica and their shared dedication to saint Lawrence (depicted in the mural painting within the oratory) suggest that the oratory of pope Formosus may have served as a secondary cult site, functionally linked to the laurentian complex. The second part of the study focuses on the iconographic analysis of the mural painting inside the christian building, contextualizing it within the complex historical dynamics between the Papacy and the empire during the second half of the 9th century. A new interpretative proposal is advanced, alongside a critical reassessment of existing scholarship concerning the political, historical, and ideological significance of the painting.