I propose to research and write a book about the reconstruction of the early Christian basilica of S. Paolo fuori le mura in Rome. Extending from the era of post-Napoleonic papal conservatism, through that of Italian unification, all the way to the reconciliation of church and state under Fascism, this immense project has meanings that were deeply intertwined with contemporary politics from the start. Focusing on public discourse about the church as represented in newspaper articles, architectural histories, engraved prints, popular culture, and official ceremonies, this study will read the neglected saga of S. Paolo as a suggestive chapter in the history of the genesis of modernity, raising new questions about the history of architectural historicism, the history of the modern church and of modern Italy, and the genesis of the modern public sphere.