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Freezing in the Vatican
The apse mosaic at Sant'Agnese is one of the oldest in Rome, generally dated to around 625 to 638 under Pope Honorius I, who rebuilt the basilica over the earlier Constantinian structure. The central figure is Sant'Agnese herself, flanked by Saints Peter and Paul, with Honorius offering a model of the church at her feet, which is a nice detail to spot once you know to look for it. The style is Byzantine-influenced, more rigid and symbolic than the naturalism you see later at Santa Maria in Trastevere, and the gold ground is what keeps it looking so alive in that dim interior. If you want to compare it directly, Santa Prassede on Via di Santa Prassede has slightly later mosaics in a similar vein, though that church keeps much shorter hours, mornings only most days.
Sant'Agnese is one of the seven pilgrim churches so it gets a decent crowd on the Via Nomentana side but yeah inside it's dead quiet, most people just do the circuit and leave. Those apse mosaics sit above a lower band with the lambs and the rivers of paradise, easy to miss if you're staring straight up. Fun detail: the whole thing was restored pretty heavily in the 19th century by a guy named Vespignani, so some of that vibrancy you noticed is his work, not all 7th century. If you liked the vibe, walk 10 min to the Catacombs of Sant'Agnese underneath and the ruins of the old Constantinian basilica next door, way less crowded than San Callisto.
Not sure about the mosaics but that church is always freezing, bring a coat next time.
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What are current tobacco prices for LM Blue or Chesterfield Blue?
tbh duty free at Riga is only worth it if you're buying cartons, single packs at the airport arent that much cheaper than teh tabaccai in Rome. also remember you can only bring a limited amount into the EU anyway so stockpiling has its limits
Chesterfield Blue usually runs around 5.50 to 6 euros a pack in Rome these days, though tabaccai prices are fixed by the state so it won't vary much shop to shop. Riga is generally cheaper for cigarettes but your layover time matters, if it's tight you might not have time to clear security and find a shop.
LM Blue in Rome is roughly the same ballpark, around 5.50 to 6 euros. One thing to keep in mind at Riga airport, the duty free selection isn't always great for specific brands like these, so if you're set on LM or Chesterfield you might strike out. I'd check what the actual duty free has before counting on it.