Since 2019 this church has had new life, being under the care of the Institute of Christ the King. This have given the Latin Mass an even stronger presence in Rome, making it a go-to for the TLM near the Vatican. We hope and pray the Vicariate of Rome will make it a parish one day again, giving the ICKSP complete control to offer all the sacraments.
The beautiful Baroque church was completed in 1735, a fine example of eighteenth century Roman Baroque. The architect was Carlo de Dominicis, a native of Rome, who worked on it from 1733-1740. Later under the reign of Pope Pius IX it was further decorated in 1868.
The church was built under the reign of Pope Clement XII. Clement XII Corsini was from Florence, and he had great artistic taste. He is also remembered as the one who commissioned a new facade for St. John Lateran as well as constructing the Trevi Fountain. He is best remembered as having provided the first public condemnation of Freemasonry in a formal papal bull. He also paved many streets in Rome.
On the top of the main altar is a painting entitled 'Christ in Glory with Saints Celsius, Julian, Basilissa, and Marcionilla,' painted by Pompeo Batoni, 1736. It was commissioned by Cardinal Giuseppe Furietti and is said to be one of the most beautiful works by this painter, clearly attempting to follow the taste of Raphael, moving forward to the neoclassical style.
The wooden choir in the sanctuary was made under the reign of Pope Clement XII Corsini and thus depicts is coat-of-arms in wood. There was a small canonry here, reflected in the ten or so seats in the choir.
On the left side of the wall is a painting entitled 'St. Julian Resuscitates a Man from the Dead,' painted by Giacomo Triga, 1736. On the right side is 'St. Celsius Wins Over Pagan Priests,' by Francesco Caccianiga, painted around the same time in the eighteenth century.
The stunning dome is octagonal in shape, reflecting in some ways the similar shape of baptismal fonts in the early centuries of the church. The eight sides represent that Christ rose from the dead on the "eighth day," the perfect day of the Resurrection, signifying a new beginning and a new life.
For an unknown reason the parish status was taken away and in 1906, Pope Pius X transferred the parish status and records to San Giovanni dei Fiorentini. He then gave the canons of the church the privilege of special choir dress privileges as it remained a 'collegiate' church with a canonry.
This church is located on a famous pilgrim road that led pilgrims to the Vatican. It is also the same road the popes would follow when they would sometimes venture from the Vatican for important outdoor processions and other seasonal liturgies. Newly elected popes would travel down this street on their way to take possession of the Lateran Archbasilica.
The first church on this site probably dates back to the year 1998. In 1198 it was named a 'papal chapel.' Thus it had the status of a 'collegiate' chapel, meaning it had its own canonry with canons, senior members of the local clergy. The canons were mentioned in a fourteenth century document and at the same time it served as the chapel for the procurators of the 'Audientia,' a predecessor of the body of the Apostolic Signatura.
In the late 1400s and early 1500s, the church underwent intermittent building and remodeling. It was during this time that Bramante drafted a design for the building, but was never carried through.
It was during this period of its history that the church became tied to the Office of Ceremonies, the predecessor body to the Sacred Congregation of Rites. This was primarily though the dual role of Bishop Paris de Grassis, who was Archpriest of the collegiate church and head of the Papal Office of Ceremonies. He therefore oversaw the connecting of his liturgical office with the parish.
Because of its location at the start of the Strada Papale (papal street), the church was always a very important pilgrim destination, a stop on the way to and from the Vatican. Because of its importance and the wealthy and influential patrons it had, it was given basilica status and is still referred to as such. The apartments to the church became home to many who worked in the Vatican, including members of the Roman Curia and Papal Court.
Rome lore remembers well that Biagio da Cesena, the Papal Master of Ceremonies of Popes Leo X, Adrian VI, Clement VII, and Paul III, was also Michelangelo's critic who opposed the nudity painted in the Sistine Chapel, therefore depicted by Michelangelo as Minos in the Inferno. He was president of the Office of Ceremonies and was given in 1513, with the papal bull Pastoralis Officii, the title of Archpriest of Sts. Celso and Giuliano.
Visitors who make their way here will no longer see the baptismal font that Ven. Pius XII was baptized at. The font is today located at the Roman Basilica of San Pancrazio, under the care of the Carmelite Order. It is unclear why it was moved there; probably because the parish status had been revoked at Saints Celso and Giuliano and someone had the idea to preserve it as a relic at a church that still had parochial status so that babies could be continue to be baptized from its waters.
In 2025 the church was closed for extensive renovations.
