Church of Saint Mary of Greece

Church of Saint Mary of Greece

The Church of Saint Mary of Greece is a Catholic minor basilica located in Rome, Italy, built in the 6th century. It attracts many visitors due to the world-famous Mouth of Truth being housed in this church.

The Mouth of Truth is a marble carving resembling a human face, located in the portico of the Church of Saint Mary of Greece. The most famous feature of the Mouth of Truth is its use as a lie detector. Since the Middle Ages, people have believed that if someone tells a lie and puts their hand into its mouth, it will bite their hand. For people from English-speaking countries, it is most familiar as appearing in the 1953 film *Roman Holiday*. This movie also used the Mouth of Truth as a lie detector because Hepburn and Peck initially did not reveal their true identities. This scene also appears in the 1994 film *Only You*.

On the drainage cover of the portico of the Church of Saint Mary of Greece, there is an ancient sculpture, but what is even more worth seeing are the well-preserved early medieval choir manuscripts and the Cosmatesque marble inlaid floor patterns. The bell tower of the church is the tallest medieval bell tower in all of Rome. The upper part of the nave and the triumphal arch preserve paintings created between the 8th and 12th centuries. Its sacristy houses an 8th-century mosaic fragment from Saint Peter's Basilica, which is extremely precious.

Santa Maria in Cosmedin

Reason to visit: See the world’s most famous Mouth of Truth

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Italy[Italy]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Lazio Region [Lazio Region]

City where the attraction is located: Rome [Rome]