In the early twelfth century, Pope
Gelasius II (papacy 1118–19), who had served as
cardinal-deacon of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, and his successor, Pope
Callixtus II (papacy 1119–24), undertook a renovation of the church, probably in 1120–23. Although the plan remained the same, many changes were carried out: the galleries at the west end, remaining from the
diaconia, were walled up,
frescoes were painted in the nave and apses, a new floor was laid in the nave, and many new church furnishings were added, including a
ciborium,
bishop's throne,
Paschal candlestick, and a
schola cantorum, a walled enclosure at the front of the nave for clergy and monks, containing the
pulpit and
lectern. At this time, the trabeation supposed by some scholars to have carried by the columns in the nave would have been changed to arches. A
campanile was then built into the right side of the church and, finally, a two-story narthex (the lower floor was open to the street) and a
portico were added. Callixtus II reconsecrated the church in May 1123. A number of inscriptions state that the renovations were paid for by Alfanus, a wealthy
layman or
cleric who served as
papal chamberlain (Latin:
camerarius) to Callixtus. On the bishop's throne is carved "ALFANUS FIER TIBI FECIT VIRGO MARIA" (Alfanus had this made for you, Virgin Mary). The open narthex of the renovated church contains the tomb of Alfanus, partly decorated with a damaged mosaic depicting the Virgin Mary between Popes Gelasius II and Callixtus II. On the walls are several panels of inscriptions recording monetary gifts to the church. The inscriptions found in Santa Maria in Cosmedin, a valuable source for the history of the Basilica, have been collected and published by Vincenzo Forcella. There are three doors leading from the new narthex into the church. The center door is created of marble elements from older Roman buildings, with medieval carvings signed by a "Giovanni of Venice" (IOHANNIS DE VENETIA ME FECIT). Scholars differ on whether it is from the eleventh or twelfth century, so it is possible this was the door to the church before the narthex was added. The nave floor in the renovated church was a creation of the
Cosmati family, Roman architects, sculptors, and decorators, who specialized in pavements formed of slabs of marble and semi-precious stones set in gold and colored
mosaics, called
opus Alexandrinum. Santa Maria in Cosmedin is thought to have a particularly beautiful floor with a large central disc of
porphyry, a costly purple stone highly prized by Roman emperors. The Cosmati also provided and decorated the bishop's throne and the pulpits and candlestick inside the
schola cantorum. The current ciborium, the canopy over the altar, was designed by Deodato of the Cosmati; it was installed in 1294 and is in a
Gothic style not common in Rome. At the time of Pope Callixtus's renovation, an extensive fresco cycle was painted on the nave walls and the arch leading to the altar area; the decoration probably extended to the three apses as well, but no traces remain in those areas. All the paintings were whitewashed about 1649–60 and were badly damaged. Only the uppermost row between the clerestory windows survives intact and depicts scenes from the lives of the prophets
Daniel and
Ezekiel, warning against the evils of
idolatry; the subjects are very unusual in medieval art. The images are faint but were photographed and sketched during the nineteenth-century restoration. There are enough fragments to suggest that there were scenes from the
New Testament on two lower rows of the nave wall and that the scene over the arch into the central apse showed Jesus enthroned amid a host of angels. Running along the very top of the nave wall is an undated
frieze in which are painted
fauns' heads and other ornaments in ancient Roman style. The frescoes now in the three apses were painted in 1899 but based on styles and themes of twelfth-century church decoration. The campanile of Santa Maria in Cosmedin is a beautiful seven-story bell tower that has stood without repair or restoration since its twelfth-century construction. Drawings and engravings from later centuries show a
superstructure above and behind the portico and narthex of the church, consisting of a wall with a small
rose window. == Later history and restoration ==