whence Cardinal Manning takes his title. It is built on the site of
the house of Gregory the Great, and was erected in the seventh
century. Its interior is embellished with sixteen granite columns. The
painting above the altar is by Sacchi, and the _predella_ beneath by
Luca Signorelli. In a small side-chapel on the right is an ancient
marble chair, and in a glass case numerous relics of various saints
_Crossing the atrium_, in which is a monument to Sir Edward Carne,
envoy from Henry VIII., _we come to_ the three detached chapels of--
S. SILVIA, which contains a beautiful fresco of the Father, with
angels playing on instruments, by Guido Reni. It is built on the site
of the house of S. Gregory, remains of which can be seen behind the
chapel.
S. ANDREW, containing the rival frescoes of Guido Reni and
Domenichino--S. Andrew adoring the cross on his way to execution, and
the Flagellation of S. Andrew.
S. BARBARA, containing the marble table on which S. Gregory feasted
every morning twelve poor pilgrims. On one occasion an angel is said
to have honoured them with his presence. The statue of the saint was
begun by Michael Angelo, and finished by his pupil, Niccolo Cordieri.
Between the church and the chapels is a massive piece of tufa wall,
supposed to have been part of the fortifications of the Cœlian Hill
when it was a separate fortress.