Saint Saba Church in Rome

 

This church interior is the medieval structure of Saint Saba, located in a rather unpopulated part of Rome. The church's location in an old noble estate was settled by Eastern monks fleeing the Islamic conquest in the 7th century A.D. In those days there was much less distinction between "Eastern" and "Western" Christianity. You can still see columns and lanterns and archways in contemporary Orthodox churches though the Western ritual is 1000 years away from the Eastern nowadays.

Pencil on sketchbook page, 7 1/2" x 7", 1975.