The Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma – Archeologia, Belle Arti, Paesaggio, is pleased to present a cultural event dedicated to the artistic and historical heritage of the Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura.
On 23 January 2026, at 5:00 p.m., the Drugstore Museum will host the talk “Arte musiva e araldica mondiale in onore del Papa-Re” (Global Mosaics and Heraldry in Honour of the Pope-King), curated by our Italian colleague, Mr. Maurizio Carlo Alberto Gorra, associated member of the Académie Internationale d’Héraldique, and also an expert in iconography and heraldry.
The event will explore the extraordinary heraldic and mosaic decorations found in the crypt of the Basilica, which has safeguarded the remains of Pope Pius IX since 1881. Within the crypt lies an exceptional collection of 650 coats of arms executed in enamelled mosaic. Eight years of research have enabled scholars to identify the individuals and institutions—nobles, clergy, private citizens and organisations from across the world—who, in the late nineteenth century, contributed their heraldic emblems for the embellishment of this sacred space. Originally displayed in the crypt’s neo-Byzantine chamber, these mosaics were conceived to express the symbolic and moral significance of heraldic art, forming a unique space of historical memory, devotion, and shared identity.
The discussion will feature contributions from distinguished speakers: Margherita Corrado (archaeologist), Gemma Guerrini (palaeographer), and Michele Campisi (architect).
Venue: Drugstore Museum, Via Portuense 317, Rome
Admission: Free of charge until full capacity is reached.