A Sculpture That Moves You

The statue of St Cecilia carved by Stefano Maderno is one of the most moving works in Rome. It rests beneath the high altar of the Basilica di Santa Cecilia in Trastevere (St Cecilia in Trastevere) and shows the saint lying on her side, in a tender, abandoned pose, her face turned away and her hands forming a symbolic gesture (three fingers and one, signifying the Trinity and the oneness of God). This is no triumphant image but an intimate, silent one, and that is why it still stirs everyone who sees it.

The Story of the Discovery (1599)

The origin of the work is extraordinary. In 1599, during work in the basilica, St Cecilia's sarcophagus was opened and her body appeared, according to accounts of the time, incorrupt, in the very position in which it had been laid centuries earlier. The young sculptor Stefano Maderno was commissioned to capture that exact scene, and he created the statue as a faithful "record" of what was seen. An inscription at the foot of the altar declares it: the artist swore he had reproduced the saint's body just as it appeared to him.

Want to see the statue of St Cecilia for yourself?

My Rome Driver takes you to Trastevere with a private driver and waits for your next stop. Flat rate, door to door.

Check availability and get a quote

Reply within 30 minutes · Flat rate · Free cancellation up to 24h before

A Masterpiece of Realism

The statue is regarded as a masterpiece of the early 17th century for its realism and its emotional power. Maderno avoids all rhetoric: the saint seems simply asleep, the marble capturing the softness of the robes and the limpness of the body. The cut on the neck (the mark of martyrdom) is barely suggested, with great restraint. It is a work that set a precedent and anticipates the great age of Baroque sculpture.

Details to Look For

  • The pose of the body, lying on one side, with its back to the viewer.
  • The hands: one with three fingers extended, the other with a single finger, symbol of the Trinity and the oneness of God.
  • The hidden face, which heightens the intimacy and modesty of the scene.
  • The soft, exquisite drapery, carved with masterful skill.

Where to Find It

The statue stands beneath the high altar of the Basilica di Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, free to see with admission to the church. For hours and to take in Cavallini's Last Judgment and the crypt as well, see our guide to the hours and admission of Santa Cecilia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who carved the statue of St Cecilia? Stefano Maderno, in 1600, for the Basilica di Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. It is one of the most moving sculptures in Rome.

Why is the saint depicted lying down? Because the statue reproduces the position in which, according to the accounts, the saint's incorrupt body was found during the 1599 examination. Maderno set out to document that scene faithfully.

What do the fingers of the hands mean? One hand shows three fingers, the other a single finger: a symbol of the Trinity (three Persons) and the oneness of God (one), read as the martyr's final profession of faith.

Where is the statue located? Beneath the high altar of the Basilica di Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, in Rome. You can see it free with admission to the church.

Why is it considered important? For its extraordinary realism and emotional power, and because it was conceived as a "record" of the discovery of the body: a masterpiece that anticipates Baroque sculpture.

Read Also

Book a driver for Santa Cecilia in Trastevere

Flat rate · ZTL access · Door to door

Article #416 · Category: Monuments · Updated: May 2026