Saint Paul's outside the Walls is a heavily restored 4th century Major basilica in Rome dedicated to St Paul, at the site of his tomb and is one of the five Patriarchal basilicas.
For reference, a plan of the church is available
here.
At the beginning of the 4th century, with the end of the persecutions, Emperor Constantine ordered the building of a church over the grave of Saint Paul the Apostle, located in the sepulchral area that was owned by a Christian woman named Lucina, about two kilometers outside the Aurelian Walls surrounding Rome along the Ostiense Way. The church was consecrated by Pope Sylvester in 324.
The Constantinian basilica quickly proved inadequate due to the rapid increase in the number of pilgrims. Between 384 and 386, Emperors Valentinian II, Theodosius and Arcadius demolished the small church and built what was then the largest basilica in Rome (became known as “the basilica of the three emperors”). The focus of the basilica was the pre-existing tomb or shrine of St Paul in the first basilica.
According to the inscription on the triumphal arch, it was consecrated in 390 by Pope Siricius, and completed in 395 under Emperor Honorius. This is the first church in the form of the Latin cross. Although heavily restored the present basilica looks much the same as it did in the 4th century.
After being almost completely destroyed by an earthquake and fire in 443, Pope St Leo the Great [440–461] started restoring the church. About 50 years later, Pope St Symmachus [498–514] ordered the reconstruction of the apse. Under Pope St Gregory the Great (590–604) the basilica was extensively modified. The pavement was raised to place the altar directly over Paul’s tomb. A confessio permitted access to the Apostle’s sepulcher.
In all of the subsequent alterations the original plan was carefully preserved, being the only specimen existing in Rome of the great basilicas, similar to what St Peter’s must have been before it was replaced by its present magnificent successor.
On the night between 15 and 16 July 1823, large parts of the basilica was damaged by fire, only the apse, the transept and the monastery survived. The atrium and more than half of the nave were completely destroyed. It is said that Pope Pius VII [1800-1823], who was very ill and died on 20 August that year, was never told what had happened. Pope Leo XII [1823-1829] decided to restore the basilica to its former glory rather than replace it with a new church in a more modern style. The first architect to lead the rebuilding was
Pasquale Belli.
The reformed Benedictine congregation of St Justina, later called the Cassinese Congregation, have been entrusted with the abbey since the 15th century, and still officiate at the Basilica. The present Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls is
Cardinal James Michael Harvey.
Between May 2 and November 17, 2006, a delicate archaeological excavation took place in the area under the high altar. This led to the opening of the place where the sarcophagus rests. Since 2007 it has been possible to go down and pray before the sarcophagus of Paul, now partially visible.
