medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Regarding San Lorenzo fuori la mura in Rome...when my mom and I were there
in March to take pictures for my book on papal death, one of the kids doing
community service snuck us down into the catacombs beneath the church (I
didn't even have to ask!) where people are not allowed because it is
allegedly not safe.
One can actually SMELL 2000 years down there. In one of the niches we saw a
leg bone so of course I was excited, and my mom says, "oh that's probably
just a cow bone" so I said, "why...because we're in the COWtacombs??" LIttle
funny there...
But anyway, there were TONS of bones and skulls in some of the niches and
even in piles in open floor area. I've got pictures of them if anyone is
interested in primarily undisturbed catacombs.
Wendy Reardon
PS...that was the HIGHLIGHT of the trip! And lest we forget the beautiful
sarcophagus of Damasus II in the portico of the church...and no, I didn't
smuggle out any skulls...
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Dillon" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 1:49 AM
Subject: Re: [M-R] saints of the day 11. December
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> On Tue, 10 Dec 2002 18:01:42 -0800
> Phyllis Jestice <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >Today (11. December) is the feast day of:
> >
> >Damasus (d. 384) Damasus was of Spanish blood, born in Rome where his
> >father was a priest. Damasus became a deacon and then pope in 366 in a
> >contested election that led to violence; it was only resolved with
imperial
> >intervention. Damasus was a vigorous fighter against heresy,
commissioned
> >Jerome to produce a definitive Latin translation of the Bible, overhauled
> >the papal archives, and cared for the cults of Roman martyrs.
> >
>
> As an inscription tells us, Damasus hoped that the basilica complex he
erected to house the archives would preserve his name for centuries. It
did: although the church in this complex to St. Lawrence is no longer
extant, its successor (at Piazza Cancelleria, 1) is still known as San
Lorenzo in Damaso. Excavations beneath the courtyard of the Palazzo
Cancelleria in 1988-91 revealed remains of the original complex. The
inscription (not generally considered one of this poet-pope's better
efforts) is no. 42 in the _Damasi carmina_; these can be read (probably in
the 19th-cent. edition by Ihm) at:
> http://www.geocities.com/~stilicho/literature/damasus.html
> >
> >
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