medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (4. November) is the feast day of:
Vitalis and Agricola (?). V. and A. are martyrs of Bologna whose bodies were unearthed in a former Jewish cemetery there in the year 392. That great discoverer of martyrs' remains, St. Ambrose of Milan, was present; thanks to him, late antique interest in this pair became widespread in Italy and in Gaul. Later tradition made V. a servant of A. and had him martyred first; A. was said to have been crucified. They appear in the (pseudo-)Hieronymian Martyrology on 3. November and again on 3. December. Their association with other saints named Vitalis has led at times to their being listed on 28. April and/or on 27. November. In Bologna they have been celebrated today since at least the Carolingian period and this is also where they are in today's RM.
Bologna's basilica di Santi Vitale e Agricola, thought by some to be originally of the sixth century, contains fragments of mosaic floor that have been so dated. But in its present form, which utilizes elements from earlier structures, it is of the eleventh century (with later modifications) and forms part of the of the Santo Stefano complex. In this distance view it is the building at rear left:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Bologna-santostefano01.jpg
and is number 3 on the plan show here:
http://www.eptort.bme.hu/doc/szakral/kep/Image335.gif
and number 5 on the plan shown here:
http://tinyurl.com/2yy4hg
Exterior views:
http://www.italiantourism.com/fotoenit/prew_2100000070824.jpg
http://www.italiantourism.com/fotoenit/prew_2100000070817.jpg
http://tinyurl.com/yhoqzq
That last view shows a relief above the entrance. Figured (from left to right) are A., Christ, and V. A better view is here:
http://tinyurl.com/36m4oe
Interior views (nave; crypt):
http://tinyurl.com/24bro5
http://tinyurl.com/2hrqlc
http://www.settechiese.it/01_2001/img/pag_45.jpg
In 1019 V.'s and A.'s relics were translated from sarcophagi in Santi Vitale e Agricola to their present home in the newly built crypt in the same complex's church of San Giovanni (number 1 on the first plan linked to above, no. 2 on the second), now part of Santo Stefano's Chiesa del Crocefisso. A view of that crypt (does anyone have a better?):
http://www.abbaziasantostefano.it/images/spazio/spazio2.gif
Some bibliography:
Gina Fasoli, ed., _Vitale e Agricola. Il culto dei protomartiri di Bologna attraverso i secoli_ (Bologna: EDB, 1993).
Giampaolo Ropa, Giulio Malaguti, _Vitale e Agricola sancti doctores_ (Bologna: EDB, 2001).
Giulio Malaguti, _Martirio di pace. Memoria e storia del martirio nel XVII centenario di Vitale e Agricola_ (Bologna: Il Mulino, 2004).
Best,
John Dillon
(last year's post lightly revised)
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