The paintings, illuminated with light from above, had to be thought-out in such a way as to have the light fall onto them at the right time of the day, also taking into account the angle they were looked at. In addition, there was the accompanying decoration, meaning the appropriate frames adorned with ornaments. All this constituted unequaled value of a specific work of art, which when transferred to a museum and illuminated with artificial light loses its initial aura. Here we can experience this aura in full.

As with many churches in Rome, this one boasts a long history, numerous reconstructions and modernizations. The first church was erected here as early as the beginning of the V century, while its founder was a certain Cyrus (in Latin Quirus), with whom its dedication is connected. Three centuries later, during the pontificate of Gregory III, another church was built, to then undergo complete reconstruction in 1590. This occurred due to Cardinal Antonio Maria Salviati, who employed the architect Francesco da Volterra for this purpose. The dignified and devoted to the cause of charity cardinal, as well as the architect, are known to us for their reconstruction of another Roman church – found at via del Corso, the San Giacomo in Augusta. Prior to the aforementioned XVI-century reconstruction, at the initiative of Ignatius of Loyola, an organization for the support of orphans was created here, which established an orphanage and a hospital in the monastery built next-door. Around 1591 in the building adjacent to the church, the Collegio Salviati was established, an institution of higher education, whose aim it was to educate boys (the aforementioned orphans), which was also founded by the cardinal.

Unfortunately the death of the founder in 1602 caused works on the church to be halted. They were not picked up again until the end of the XVII century, when they were finalized.

The church façade, whose designer was Carlo Maderno, the very same, who created the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica (San Pietro in Vaticano), is a two-story structure enriched with pilasters. Its pediment is adorned by two urns with sunrays, however they are not the ones that determine its uniqueness, but rather the two bell towers flanking it. As was often the case, the façade was completed last: a lack of funds moved its finalization, similarly to both bell towers, until the year 1774.

Unfortunately, a fire in 1845 nearly completely destroyed the church interior. The new furnishings are a work of XIX-century artists and are a reference to the fashionable at that time Neo-Mannerism with traces of Renaissance, readily supplemented with ornaments of rose windows, garlands, coffers, candelabra ornaments, or oeils-de-boeuf. The exquisite decorations, including paintings on the vault or the pillars of the main nave, depicting Fathers of the Church are the work of Cesare Mariani (1866). The whole interior seems to be pretty standard. The three-nave basilica with a shallow transept opens up on both sides of the side naves onto chapels (three on each side). An extensive dome rises at the cross-section of the transept and the main nave.

Only few objects remain from the initial XVII-century interior, and these are the ones that deserve special attention.

•     In the second chapel on the left (Pieta Chapel) there are frescoes from the beginning of the XVII century by Giovanni Battista Speranza, depicting An Angel with the Cross, Carrying the Cross and The Crucifixion. On the other hand the altarpiece is The Deposition, with The Flagellation and Crowning with Thorns, on the sides. These were painted by: Maestro Jacopo (main altar), as well as an outstanding Dutch artist, who worked in Rome for some time (1610-1615) – Gerrit van Honthorst, in Italian known as Gherardo delle Notti. The latter, taking advantage of the patronage of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, became known as an artist willingly using strong chiaroscuro contrasts of dramatic expression. The third artist, who was also an imitator of Caravaggio could not be identified. It is for these paintings, moving in their expression, that it is worth coming into this church, however, it contains other treasures as well.

•     Opposite the chapel, in a pillar an interesting tombstone was built-in, with the kneeling figure of Archbishop Carlo Montecatini, completed in 1699 by Domenico Guidi, an able student of Alessandro Algardi, and after his death and the death of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the top Roman sculptors of the end of the XVII century. This artist is also famous for his work on the Bridge of the Holy Angel (Ponte Sant’Angelo), where his Angel with a Spear is one of the most beautiful out of the whole group.
•     In the chapel of St. Sebastian (first on the right) there is a very interesting painting showing the martyrdom of this saint. The work dates back to the beginning of the XVII century, while its strong chiaroscuro contrasts and elaborate, almost bizarre twists to the youth’s body situate it somewhere between Mannerism and Baroque, at the same time revealing that it is a work of one of the most outstanding artists of that time. Unfortunately, as of the present we do not know who was its author.
•     Chapel of Annunciation (third on the left) preserved its XVII-century appearance, including frescoes by Carlo Saraceni, painted between the years 1611 and 1617, depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, and in the aedicule Madonna with Child Accompanied by St. Stephen. On the other hand in the chapel dome we will notice Coronation of Our Lady. After Caravaggio’s flight from Rome, Saraceni became the principal continuator and interpreter of his style. He left several exceptional works in the city (e.g. in the Church of Santa Maria dell’Anima).

However, perhaps the greatest and definitely the oldest of the church’s treasures is difficult to notice. This is a small painting placed in the main altar Madonna with Child and St. Stephen (XIV century) completed by a painter from the circle of the famous Pietro Cavallini. It was moved to the church side chapel, after the burning of the main altar.