According to the tradition, in the building located at the corner of Piazza San Giovanni, that Sisto V decided to destroy between 1585 and 1590, is hosted the stairs of the palace of Pilate in Jerusalem.

The Saint Stairs<, so called because Jesus would have gone up these stairs to reach the chief of the Roman authority, is covered by devoted persons praying on their knees for the atonement of misconducts or the invocation of graces. At the upper level a Sancta Sanctorum, closed to public, collects numerous relics coming from the Holy Land and given to the custody of the Passionate Fathers.