The Mouth of Truth—Santa Maria in Cosmedin

The Bocca della Verità at Santa Maria in Comesedin, Rome
The Bocca della Verità at Santa Maria in Comesedin, Rome. (Photo by Kent Chen)

It's a shame that so many who stop to see the Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth) on the porch don't take the time to go inside the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin itself

The church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome.Santa Maria in Cosmedin. (Photo by Avinash Kunnath)

Crowds from tour buses do not flock to this lovely medieval church for the 11th century frescoes on the walls of the atmospherically dim interior, nor for the lovely 12th century bell tower, nor for the marvlous particolored cosmatesque pavement that decorate the floors in fabulous mosaic patterns of cut stone.

It's not even the fact that this church contains the flower-crowned skull of St. Valentine himself, a 3rd century Roman bishop of Terni and famed patron saint of lovers the world over. (Most of the rest of Valentine is, believe it or not, in a church in Dublin.)

It's an ancient Roman sewer-covering hanging inside the portico.

The Mouth of Truth

The interior of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome.Santa Maria in Cosmedin interior. (Photo by David Bramhall)

The Bocca della Verità is a heavy stone disc carved in the 4th century B.C. as a grotesque, bearded face with a gaping, dark slot for a mouth.

It got its nickname, the "Mouth of Truth," from the medieval tradition that holds if you stick your hand in its mouth and tell a lie, it'll clamp down on your fingers.

Apparently, a priest once added some sting to this belief by hiding behind the mouth with a scorpion, dispensing justice as he saw fit.

The skull of St. Valentine in the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome.The skull of Saint Valentine. (Photo by brindavoine2002)

If all that sounds vaguely familiar, it's because Gregory Peck did this in Roman Holiday to impress Audrey Hepburn.

(Film legend holds that, when it came time to film the famous scene, Peck veered from how they'd rehearsed it, tucked his hand up his sleeve, and threw his all into pretending the thing really had bit off his hand, which is why Hepburn's shrieking is genuine.)

Tips & links

Details
ADDRESS

Piazza Bocca della Verità 18/Via della Greca 4
tel. +39-06-678-7759 or 06-679-3609
060608.it

OPEN

Daily 9:30am–5:30pm

ADMISSION

Free
Roma Pass:
No

How long does Santa Maria in Cosmedin take?

Planning your day: If takes all of 90 seconds to pose for the camera with your hand stuck in the Mouth of Truth—though you may have to wait in line behind a busload of Japanese tourists. However, please do take another 15–20 minutes to pop into the church itself; it's quite evocative and pleasingly medieval inside. The gate closes 10 minutes before the church.

Note: The gate to the portico—and access to the Mouth of Truth—closes 10 minutes before the church. » Rome itineraries

Santa Maria in Cosmedin tours

Take a guided tour of Santa Maria in Cosmedin with one of our partners:

Cow Forum

The church sits at the edge of what is affectionately known as the Foro Boario, or Cow Forum—you can't miss the pair of midget ancient temples across the street.

Mass

You can attend services at Santa Maria in Cosmedin Sundays at 10:30am.

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Bocca della Verità/Santa Maria in Cosmedin
ADDRESS

Piazza Bocca della Verità 18/Via della Greca 4
tel. +39-06-678-7759 or 06-679-3609
060608.it

OPEN

Daily 10:00am–5pm

ADMISSION

Free

Roma Pass: No

TRANSPORT

Bus: 81, 87, 122, 628, C3, 175, 715, 160F
Metro: Circo Massimo(B)
Hop-on/hop-off: Circo Massimo

TOURS
Nearby


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