About
As a symbol of the Gregorian calendar's triumph, this church's annual sundial was installed in an act of one-upmanship.
In the 16th century, a magnificent meridian-aligned sundial was commissioned by Pope in the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs, which was built upon the remains of an old Roman bath. It was seen as a triumph over former pagan time-telling practices, surpassing even that of a similar Spanish church. In order to outdo this, another more impressive meridian sun dial was created by the sitting pope in 18th century. The location offered practical advantages such as its Southernly direction, towering ceilings and solid architectural structure; however, the key factor for the pope to select this site for his clock was its past use as a Roman bath - representing a symbolical victory of Christian faith over paganistic beliefs.
