196 SANTA MARIA IN COSMEDIN AND BOCCA DELLA VERITÀ THE BASILICA OF SANTA MARIA IN COSMEDIN GETS ITS NAME FROM THE GREEK “KOSMIDION,” MEANINGORNAMENT, PROBABLY REFERRING TO THE NUMEROUS EMBELLISHMENTS THAT POPE HADRIAN I HAD ADDED TO IT DURING THE RENOVATIONOF THE BUILDING IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY, ON THE BASE OF A PREVIOUS CHRISTIAN PLACE OF WORSHIP. THE BASILICAWAS FURTHER RENOVATED IN THE TWELFTH CENTURY. THE FRONT PORTICOHOUSES THE FAMOUS BOCCA DELLA VERITÀ (MOUTHOF TRUTH). SINCE ANCIENT TIMES IT HAS BEEN SAID TOHAVE SPECIAL POWERS, ITS JAWS SNAPPING SHUT OVER THE HANDOF ANYONEWHO TOLD A LIE. THIS EXPLAINS THE NAME OF THE SQUARE OPPOSITE THE CHURCH, WHICHWAS ORIGINALLY THE HEART OF THE FORUM BOARIUM, THE SITE OF THE CATTLE MARKET. IN THE SQUARE TOURISTS STAND IN LINE TO EXPERIENCE THE THRILL OF PUTTING THEIR HAND INSIDE THE MOUTHOF THE MASK. A LESS WELL-KNOWN FACT IS THAT THE CHURCH ALSO PRESERVES A GLASS RELIQUARY WITH THE SKULL OF SAINT VALENTINE, PATRON SAINT OF LOVERS.
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