The spiritual heart of the basilica

The Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme owes its fame above all to the relics of the Passion of Christ kept inside it: some of the most venerated in all of Christianity. According to tradition, they were brought to Rome by Sant'Elena (St Helena), mother of the emperor Costantino (Constantine), after her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the 4th century. For the faithful, stepping into the Cappella delle Reliquie (Chapel of the Relics) means standing before the very signs of the Passion: a deeply moving experience.

What the relics are

The Cappella delle Reliquie holds, according to tradition:

  • Fragments of the True Cross (the wood of Christ's cross).
  • A nail from the crucifixion.
  • The titulus crucis, the tablet bearing the inscription placed on the cross.
  • Two thorns of the Crown.
  • Part of the cross of the Good Thief and other relics tied to the Passion.

Want to see the relics of the Passion at Santa Croce with a private driver?

My Rome Driver takes you to the basilica and waits for your next stop. Fixed price, door to door.

Check availability and get a quote

Reply within 30 minutes · Fixed price · Free cancellation up to 24h before

The titulus crucis

Among the relics, one of the best known is the titulus crucis (the title of the cross): the fragment of the tablet that, according to the Gospels, was placed on the cross with the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" (the INRI), written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. It is an object of enormous symbolic value, the subject of scholarly study and intense devotion, kept right here in this basilica.

Sant'Elena and the finding of the Cross

Tradition ties all these relics to Sant'Elena (St Helena), who during her journey to Jerusalem is said to have found the True Cross and gathered the memorials of the Passion. Back in Rome, she kept them in her palace (the Sessorianum), later transformed into the basilica. The figure of Helena, "finder of the Cross," is central to both the history and the iconography of the place.

How to approach the relics

The Cappella delle Reliquie is a place of devotion: you enter in silence and with respect, to pray or simply to reflect before these signs. Access may follow its own hours, so it is worth checking them before your visit. Even for non-believers, standing before relics so charged with history and meaning is a striking experience.

Frequently asked questions

Which relics of the Passion are at Santa Croce? According to tradition: fragments of the True Cross, a nail, the titulus crucis with its inscription, two thorns of the Crown and part of the cross of the Good Thief.

What is the titulus crucis? The fragment of the tablet placed on the cross with the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" (INRI) in Hebrew, Greek and Latin: one of the most famous relics in the basilica.

Who brought the relics to Rome? According to tradition, Sant'Elena (St Helena), mother of Costantino (Constantine), after her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the 4th century, during which she is said to have found the True Cross.

Where can you see the relics? In the Cappella delle Reliquie of the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. Access may follow its own hours: check before your visit.

Do you need to be a believer to visit them? No: anyone can enter with respect. Even for non-believers, it is a profoundly moving historical and cultural experience.

Read also

Book a driver for Santa Croce in Gerusalemme

Fixed price · ZTL access · Door to door

Article #511 · Category: Monuments · Updated: May 2026