Saints and Martyrs
For over 2,000 years, Rome has been a city of saints. From the first apostles to the great mystics, martyrs, missionaries, and popes of every era.
This comprehensive guide will help you find the resting places, relics, and shrines of the saints in Rome—both the famous and the lesser-known.
Major Saints and Their Relics in Rome
Use the table below to explore which saints’ relics and tombs can be visited in Rome, along with the churches where they are enshrined.
| Category | Saint | Location in Rome | Relic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apostles | Saint Peter | St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City | Tomb and major relics |
| Apostles | Saint Paul | Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls | Tomb and major relics |
| Apostles | Saint Andrew | St. Peter’s Basilica | Relic fragments |
| Apostles | Saint James the Less | Basilica of the Holy Apostles (Santi XII Apostoli) | Relics |
| Apostles | Saint Philip | Basilica of the Holy Apostles | Relics |
| Apostles | Saint Bartholomew | Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber Island | Major relics |
| Evangelists | Saint Luke | Basilica of St. Mary Major | Skull relic |
| Biblical Figures | Saint John the Baptist | Church of San Silvestro in Capite | Part of the skull |
| Popes and Church Fathers | Saint Clement I (Pope) | Basilica of San Clemente | Relics |
| Popes and Church Fathers | Saint Gregory the Great (Pope) | St. Peter’s Basilica | Tomb |
| Popes and Church Fathers | Saint Leo the Great (Pope) | St. Peter’s Basilica | Tomb |
| Popes and Church Fathers | Saint Pius V (Pope) | Basilica of St. Mary Major | Body |
| Early Martyrs | Saint Lawrence | Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura | Body |
| Early Martyrs | Saint Sebastian | Basilica of San Sebastiano fuori le Mura | Body |
| Early Martyrs | Saint Agnes | Sant’Agnese fuori le Mura | Body |
| Early Martyrs | Saint Cecilia | Basilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere | Body |
| Early Martyrs | Saint Ignatius of Antioch | Basilica of San Clemente | Some relics |
| Medieval Saints | Saint Catherine of Siena | Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva | Body (head in Siena) |
| Medieval Saints | Saint Dominic | Basilica of Santa Sabina | Some relics (main tomb in Bologna) |
| Medieval Saints | Saint Francis of Assisi | Various locations in Rome | Some relics (main tomb in Assisi) |
| Later Saints | Saint Vincent Pallotti | Church of San Salvatore in Onda | Body |
| Later Saints | Saint Philip Neri | Chiesa Nuova (Santa Maria in Vallicella) | Body |
| Later Saints | Saint Charles Borromeo | Basilica of San Carlo al Corso | Skull relic |
| Later Saints | Saint Aloysius Gonzaga | Church of Sant’Ignazio | Body |
| Later Saints | Saint John Berchmans | Church of Sant’Ignazio | Body |
| Other Notable Saints | Saint Helena (Mother of Constantine) | Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem (Santa Croce in Gerusalemme) | Some relics |
| Other Notable Saints | Saint Valentine | Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin | Skull |
| Other Notable Saints | Saint Sylvester I (Pope) | San Silvestro in Capite | Relics |
| Other Notable Saints | Saint John Paul II | St. Peter’s Basilica | Blood and other relics |