medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (28. October) is the feast day of two saints listed under this
date in the online Italian-language version of the RM of 2001 but said
elsewhere to now be celebrated on 29. October (whether because of the
RM's modification in 2004 or because local practice differs is not
clear): Fidelis of Como (d. ca. 304, supposedly) and Ferrutius of Mainz
(d. ca. 304, supposedly). Postponing Ferrutius until tomorrow, here's a
note on Fidelis.
F. and companions are in a number of medieval texts of uncertain date
(BHL 2922, etc.) said to have been Christian soldiers who slipped away
from the Roman army during the persecution of Maximian. They were
pursued, caught up with at different locations in the vicinity of Como,
and put to death at their places of capture. F., whose cult is at
least as old as the sixth century, when he is mentioned by Ennodius, got
as far as today's Novate Mezzola (SO) in Lombardy. Here, on the shore
of the Lago di Mezzola (just north of the Lago di Como), he was clubbed,
crucified, and decapitated. Whereupon a great storm arose, accompanied
by lightning and terrifying the martyr's killers. One of the latter
buried F. at the site of his execution.
An English-language translation of BHL 2922 is here:
http://www.ucc.ie/milmart/Fidelis.html
And various views of the originally late tenth- or very early
eleventh-century chapel of San Fedelino (restructured in 1905; restored
in 1992/93) at the supposed locale of F.'s martyrdom are here:
http://www.larioonline.it/english/altolario/sanfedelino.html
http://www.viaspluga.com/ita/guidebook/fedelino/index.php?photo_num=02
http://www.cmvalchiavenna.org/sections.php?op=printpage&artid=40
Some closer views of the chapel's eleventh- and twelfth-century frescoes:
http://www.viaspluga.com/ita/guidebook/fedelino/index.php?photo_num=01
http://www.gruppoartecultura.it/Percorsi/sanfedelino.htm
In 964 F.'s relics were translated to Como and deposited in a church
formerly dedicated to St. Euphemia but now rededicated to him (BHL
2925). Como's present church of San Fedele is of the twelfth century
with later medieval additions and with early twentieth-century
restorations: belltower, 1906; facade and interior of the apse, 1914).
Views of the facade in differing light are here:
http://tinyurl.com/9cdfx
http://www.inviaggionelmondo.it/Como/Como_SanFedele.JPG
http://digilander.libero.it/felice/Como/Chiese4.jpg
http://www.mondimedievali.net/Edifici/Lombardia/como01.jpg
The rear portal is noteworthy, esp. for its reliefs:
http://tinyurl.com/ap5ds
http://www.mondimedievali.net/Edifici/Lombardia/como23.jpg
Two exterior views of the apse:
http://digilander.libero.it/sys76/Resources/sfedele2.gif
http://tinyurl.com/d6db6
The interior contains this font for holy water; carved from a
Roman-period capital, it is said to be of the eighth century:
http://www.mondimedievali.net/Edifici/Lombardia/como18.jpg
The damaged sculpture beneath it shows a human figure bestriding a lion.
There are also some fourteenth-century frescoes, e.g.:
http://www.mondimedievali.net/Edifici/Lombardia/como22.jpg
http://www.mondimedievali.net/Edifici/Lombardia/como08.jpg
A ground plan is here:
http://www.gacom.it/como/luoghi/pianta.jpg
And a multi-page, illustrated, Italian-language discussion is here:
http://www.mondimedievali.net/Edifici/Lombardia/Como.htm
F. is the subject of a sermon by St. Peter Damian (BHL 2924). Milan has
relics of F. as well, housed in an interesting late sixteenth-century
church dedicated to him.
Best,
John Dillon
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