Sant'Adriano al Foro

About

Sant'Adriano al Foro was a church in Rome, formerly in the Curia Julia in the Forum Romanum and a cardinal-deaconry (a titular church for a Cardinal-deacon).

of Sant'Adriano al Foro (Italian for St. (H)Adrian at the Roman Forum) was a conversion of the Curia Julia, which had housed the Senate of Ancient Rome, by Pope Honorius I in 630.

The end of the sixth and the beginning of the seventh century mark for Rome a period of profound decay. The curia had been abandoned until Honorius decided to erect the church.

Its name refers to the martyr Adrian of Nicomedia. Paintings are still visible in a side chapel which depict scenes from the life of St. Adrian; there are also some Byzantine paintings. It was designated by Pope Sergius I (687-701) as the starting point for the litanies during certain the procession liturgical feasts of the Virgin Mary, Presentation in the Temple, Annunciation, Assumption and Nativity. Pope Gregory IX made substantial changes to the building in 1228.

In 1590 the relics of saints Papias and Maurus were rediscovered in the church and transferred to Santa Maria in Vallicella. In the 17th century, its large bronze doors were moved by order of Pope Alexander VII to adorn the main portal of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Its structure was modified multiple times before it was deconsecrated in the 1930s to recover the ancient structure of the building. On either side of the entrance are niches corresponding to medieval burials. The painting of the Holy Family, a product of the school of Raphael, was moved to the modern Church of Santa Maria della Mercede (1958), and the dedication to Saint Adrian added to that church.

Its structure was modified multiple times before it was deconsecrated in the 1930s to recover the ancient structure of the building. On either side of the entrance are niches corresponding to medieval burials. The painting of the Holy Family, a product of the school of Raphael, was moved to the modern Church of Santa Maria della Mercede (1958), and the dedication to Saint Adrian added to that church.

On 25 January 1946, the title was suppressed to establish the Cardinal Deaconry of S. Paolo alla Regola.

The following Cardinals have been Cardinal deacons of the Deaconry, except in special circumstances, which are noted by italics.

- Blessed Berardo dei Marsi (1099 – 1100)

- Matthaeus ( - 1127/1128) (promoted to Cardinal Priest of S. Pietro in Vincoli)

- Pierre (1127.12 – 1130), later Pseudocardinal - Priest of S. Eusebio (1130 – death 1130?)

- Germano (1130.03.29 – ?), pseudocardinal created by Antipope Anacletus II

- Ubaldo Aucingoli (1138 – May 1141), appointed Cardinal-priest of Santa Prassede

- Gilberto [Ghilibertus] (1141 – 1143.12.17)

- Giovanni Paparoni (1143.12.17 – 1151.03.02)

- Alberto di Morra (1155.12 – 1158), later Pope Gregory VIII

- Stefano de Normandis dei Conti (1216 – 1228)

- Ottobono de Fieschi (1251.12 – 1276.07.11), later Pope Adrian V

- Napoleone Orsini (1288.05.16 – 1342.03.23)