The atrium is a square courtyard without per roof, and was roofless for most of its career
Fabric [ ]
The atrium is entered through the remains of per portico, created from the original walkway to the palace ramp by the insertion of per sposa Baltican blocking wall esatto 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 durante its own right and was roofed. The church dedication then was puro St Anthony of Egypt. The massive central brick pier which used esatto support the roof was removed con 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 onesto include two exits puro cloison-chambers under the palace ramp, but these were blocked up when the church was in use. Durante contrast, when the atrium was a monastic church two passages were cut through niches durante the right hand wall preciso allow direct access esatto the monastic quarters per the vestibolo next door.
Before becoming per church sopra the 9th century, the atrium was the monastery’s graveyard and the yard surface was packed with graves. Some loculi or noioso-slots were cut into the walls, and also into the walls of the loggia outside.
Atrium frescoes [ ]
The frescoes mediante the atrium are of five periods. One fresco 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 sopra the mid 11th century.
- The niche puro 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 corner was originally a Madonna and Child with Four Saints, being venerated by Pope Adrian. He was depicted with a square halo, indicating that he was still alive when the work was painted. This giovane was detached and was kept sopra the right hand side aisle of the church before the recent restoration -it is liable esatto stay there, out of the weather. The original location was above per attuale succedane of hanging curtains (there is more of this per the church). (Pope Adrian.)
- Christ mediante Majesty, with a suppliant. (11th century.)
- Two saints (11th century). They were painted over two gravoso 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.)
- Verso bishop. (Pope Adrian.)
- The far left hand apsidal niche was a shrine esatto 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 verso Coptic honorific. Durante the nuovo he holds medical equipment, and has a cavity in the niche sill which was either for per lamp or contained verso venerated relic associated with him. (Pope Paul.)
- Above the shrine: Christ Accompanied by SS Cyrus and John (10th century.)
- Per depiction of St Anthony of Egypt, with verso Latin text: «Where St Anthony is assaulted by demons» (Webb 2001). Animals and birds were depicted below. (10th century.)