Church of San Salvatore alle Coppelle
San Salvatore alle Coppelle is a historic church in Rome located on Piazza delle Coppelle in the Sant’Eustachio district, a few steps from the Pantheon. Founded in the medieval period, the church is today the national church of the Romanian Greek Catholic community in Rome, celebrating the Byzantine Rite — a rare survival of Eastern Christianity at the very centre of the Latin Church’s capital.
At a glance
- Type
- Roman Catholic church (Byzantine Rite — Romanian Greek Catholic)
- Period
- Medieval origins; later restorations
- Style
- Roman Baroque exterior; Byzantine liturgical interior
- Location
- Piazza delle Coppelle, Sant’Eustachio district, Rome, Italy
- Coordinates
- 41.9006° N, 12.4760° E
- Current use
- Active place of worship; national church for Romanian Greek Catholics in Rome
Overview
San Salvatore alle Coppelle occupies a small piazza in the densely historic fabric of central Rome, between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. The church takes its topographical name from the coppellari — craftsmen who made small cups or coppelle — who once worked in the surrounding streets. It serves the Romanian Greek Catholic community, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome that preserves the Byzantine liturgical tradition, making it a distinctive presence within the overwhelmingly Latin-Rite ecclesiastical landscape of the city.
History
The origins of San Salvatore alle Coppelle reach back to the medieval period, when Rome’s dense network of neighbourhood churches (tituli and diaconie) was established to serve the city’s parishes. The piazza name and surrounding street names record the memory of artisan guilds — coppellari — who shaped the local economy in the pre-modern era. Over the centuries the building underwent modifications typical of Roman churches: Baroque refacing, interior redecorations, and changes in patronage. Its assignment to the Romanian Greek Catholic community reflects Rome’s role as the centre of Catholic unity, hosting national churches from across the world that preserve their ancestral rites while remaining in communion with the Holy See.
What you see
The exterior of San Salvatore alle Coppelle presents the understated Baroque facade common to many of Rome’s smaller neighbourhood churches, set onto the intimate scale of Piazza delle Coppelle. Inside, the church reflects its Byzantine Rite function: iconostasis screens, Eastern-style icons, and liturgical furnishings that differ visibly from the Latin-Rite churches surrounding it. The small piazza itself is one of the more atmospheric corners of central Rome, retaining a sense of the medieval urban grain that has been lost in many other areas of the city.
Cultural significance
San Salvatore alle Coppelle is significant as a living expression of Eastern Christianity at the heart of Rome, embodying the breadth of the Catholic Church’s ritual traditions. It also represents the cultural presence of the Romanian community in Italy and the historic ties between Romania and the Holy See established through the Greek Catholic Church. The church stands as a reminder that Rome’s religious landscape is far more plural than its monumental Latin basilicas suggest.
Practical information
- Address
- Piazza delle Coppelle, 00186 Rome RM, Italy
- Access
- The church is open for liturgical services; visiting hours may be limited. Check with the Romanian Greek Catholic community for current mass times and access.
Getting there
The church is located in central Rome, a short walk from the Pantheon (approximately 200 metres north). The nearest bus stops are on Corso del Rinascimento and Largo di Torre Argentina, served by multiple routes. There is no nearby Metro station; the closest are Spagna (Line A) or Barberini (Line A), both about 1.5 km away. The area is best explored on foot as part of a walk through the historic centre between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon.