e
are looking at the apse of the church. The sanctuary has
been remodelled to restore the original design. The smaller
portable altar at the front is used for the weekday Mass,
when the congregation and the Dominicans fit into the
choir. Sundays and major feasts sees the Mass celebrated
at the main altar. Under the altar we find the relics
of several martyrs. An inscription from the time of Sixtus
V identifies them thus:
Hic sanctorum
martyrum
Alexandri • pp • Enventii • Theodulo
Sabinae et Seraphiae
corpora requiscunt
Here rest the bodies
of the holy martyrs
Pope Alexander, Eventus, Theodulus
Sabina and Serapha
The
sarcophagus containing the remains of Pope St. Alexander
I may be seen through the marble lattice under the main
altar. This early bishop of Rome was martyred in about
the year 116. His remains first rested in the catacombs
on the Via Nomentana and were brought to Santa Sabina
by Pope Pascal I (817-824) to rest within the walls of
the city of Rome.
The presider's
chair, in the apse behind the main altar, is a reconstruction
of the original chair. All that was found of the ancient
presider's chair were the animal headed supports for the
arm rests, which are incorporated into the present chair.
On the right
of the picture is the top of the candlestick for the Paschal
candle. This photograph, taken from a high angle cannot
do justice to the sight of the Light of Christ held aloft
the congregation on this stand during Easter. 
