medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Today (7. September) is also the feast day of:
Paragorius and companions (d. early 4th cent., perhaps). Paragorius,
Parthaeus, Parthenopaeus, and Severinus are said to have been Roman
soldiers martyred for their faith on Corsica. All four have been
honored at Noli (SV) since at least the eleventh century, when
construction began on its present ex-cathedral dedicated to Paragorius.
The early modern hagiographer Filippo Ferrari (d. 1626) says that
"some years ago" (_ante aliquot annos_) there existed at Noli a very old
parchment containing an antiphon in their honor with the words _Passi
sunt in insula Corsicae_ ("They were martyred on the island of
Corsica"). This has apparently not survived, even in later
transcription. Also lost is a painting still visible in Ferrari's day
that showed Paragorius sitting on a horse and his companions on foot;
interpreted by Ferrari to indicate that Paragorius was noble and the
others were his servitors, this tableau is doubtless related to the (not
medievally attested) local tradition that Paragorius was a senior
officer and the others were his subalterns. The fact that the first
three names are originally Greek has led to a twentieth-century
conjecture that the martyrs in question were really members of the East
Roman military stationed in Liguria in the sixth or early seventh
century who were slain by people classed locally as infidels and whose
martyrdom was later backdated once the original tradition had been lost.
But if we know virtually nothing about Paragorius et soc., we still have
their wonderful church, an extramural foundation sited next to a Roman
necropolis. When Noli, which achieved autonomy from the Del Carretto
marquisate of Savona in the late twelfth century, was elevated to
diocesan status in 1239 this church was selected as its cathedral,
serving in that capacity until 1572 when it was replaced by the more
centrally located San Pietro. Some exterior shots are here:
http://www.archeoge.arti.beniculturali.it/archeologia/noli.htm
http://www.oltreilviaggio.it/europa/italia/liguria/noli07.htm
http://www.thais.it/architettura/romanica/schede/sc_00077.htm
A somewhat blurry view of the upper parts of the belltower and of the
nave, showing a deep narrow window, is here:
http://www.fierodiessere.it/images/Il%20campanile%20antico%20a%20Noli_JPG.jpg
Interior shots of the nave are here:
http://www.thais.it/architettura/romanica/schede/sc_00078.htm
same, but larger image:
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Arts/Architec/MiddleAgesArchitectural/RomanesqueArchitecture/RomanesquearchitectureSubjects/SanParagorio/00078.jpg
And here are two shots of the crypt:
http://www.sapere.it/mm/geografia/objects/10436366.jpg
http://galerie.photo.gerard.free.fr/Italie/Genes/pages/x%20Noli%20Eglise%20San%20Paragorio%20.htm
I have not seen Alessandra Frondoni, ed., _S. Paragorio di Noli. Scavi e
restauri_, Quaderni della Soprintendenza Archeologica della Liguria, 3
(Genova, 1988). Said to report on the archeological campaigns of 1972,
1974, and 1984, this is likely to have some bearing on the existence and
age of any previously existing church or sanctuary on this site.
Best,
John Dillon
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