E01350: The second edition of the Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome between the 530s and 546, in its account of *Symmachus (bishop and confessor of Rome, ob. 514, S00793), lists his building works at, and donations to, the churches of various saints in Rome and its region.

Liber Pontificalis 53

First edition (reconstituted by Duchesne)

The passage on Symmachus' foundations and offerings can be found only in the second edition.


Second edition

[ST AGATHA, AND ST PANCRATIUS]

Hic fecit basilicam sanctae martyris Agathae, via Aurelia, in fundum Lardarium: a fundamento cum fontem extruxit, ubi posuit arcos argenteos II. Eodem tempore fecit basilicam sancti Pancratii, ubi et fecit arcum argenteum, pens. lib. XV; fecit autem in eodem loco balneum.

'He built the basilica of saint Agatha the martyr on the via Aurelia at the Lardarius estate; he constructed it from the ground up, with a font, where he placed 2 silver arches. At the same time he built the basilica of saint Pancratius; he provided a silver arch weighing 15 lb and there he also built a bath.'


[ST PAUL]
Item aput beatum Paulum apostolum: in basilicam renovavit absidam, quae in ruina inminebat, et post confessionem picturam ornavit et cameram fecit et matroneum; et super confessionem imaginem argenteam cum Salvatorem et XII apostolos posuit, qui pens. lib. CXX; et ante fores basilicae grados fecit in atrium et cantarum; et post absidam aquam introduxit, ubi et balneum a fundamento fecit.

'Also, at the blessed Paul the apostle: in the basilica he renewed the apse which was threatening to collapse; he provided a picture as decoration behind the confessio, and built an apse-vault and a matroneum. Over the confessio he placed a silver image of the Saviour and the 12 apostles, weighing 120 lb. He built steps in front of the basilica’s doors into the atrium, and a fountain. Behind the apse he had water laid on, and he also built a bath there from the ground up.'


[STS MARTIN AND SILVESTER, STS IOHANNES AND PAULUS, ST MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL, AND STS COSMAS AND DAMIANUS AT THE BASILICA OF ST MARY]

Intra civitatem Romanam basilicam sanctorum Silvestri et Martini a fundamento construxit iuxta Traianas, ubi et super altare tyburium argenteum fecit, qui pens. lib. CXX; arcos argenteos XII, qui pens. sing. lib. X; confessionem argenteam, qui pens. lib. XV. Ad beatum Iohannem et Paulum fecit grados post absidam. Item ad archangelum Michahel basilicam ampliavit et grados fecit et introduxit aquam. Item ad sancta Maria oratorium sanctorum Cosmae et Damiani a fundamento construxit.

'Inside Rome he constructed the basilica of saints Silvester and Martin from the ground up, close to the [baths of] Trajan, where he also built a silver canopy over the altar, weighing 120 lb; 12 silver arches each weighing 10 lb;
a silver confessio weighing 15 lb. At saints Iohannes and Paulus he built steps behind the apse. At saint Michael the Archangel he enlarged the basilica, built steps, and laid on water. Also, at saint Mary’s he constructed the oratory of saints Cosmas and Damianus from the ground up.'
 

[ST PETER 'ON THE VIA TRIBUNA'; OFFERINGS AND REFURBISHMENTS AT THE CHURCHES OF PAUL, PETER, LAURENCE, FELICITAS, AND AGNES]

Item via Tribuna, miliario XXVII ab urbe Roma, rogatus ab Albino et Glaphyra pp inlustris de proprio facientes a fundamento, basilicam beato Petro in fundum Pacinianum dedicavit. Item ad beatum Petrum et ad beatum Paulum et ad sanctum Laurentium pauperibus habitacula construxit. Item ad beatum Petrum XX cantara argentea fecit, pens. sing. lib. XV; arcos argenteos XXII, pens. sing. lib. XX. Hic reparavit basilicam sanctae Felicitatis, qui in ruinam inminebat. Hic absidam beatae Agnae quae in ruinam inminebat et omnem basilicam renovavit.

'Also, on the via Tribuna at the 27th mile from Rome, at the request of the illustrious praetorian prefect Albinus and of Glaphyra who did the building from the ground up at their own expense, he dedicated a basilica to saint Peter, on the Pacinianus estate. Also, at St Peter’s, St Paul’s, and St Laurence’s he constructed accommodation for the poor.
Also at St Peter’s he provided: 20 silver chandeliers each weighing 15 lb; 22 silver arches each weighing 20 lb. He repaired the basilica of saint Felicitas, which was threatening to collapse. He renewed the apse of St Agnes’ which was threatening to collapse, and the whole basilica.'

 
[NATALICIA OF MARTYRS, AND THE BODY OF ST ALEXANDER]

Hic constituit, ut omne die dominicum vel natalicia martyrum Gloria in excelsis hymnus diceretur. Hic fecit cymiterium Iordanorum in melius propter corpus sancti Alexandri.

'He decreed that on every Lord’s day and on the feasts of martyrs (natalicia martyrum) the hymn ‘Glory be to God on high’ should be sung. For the sake of the body of saint Alexander, he improved the cemetery of the Jordani.'


Text: Duchesne 1886, 262-263. Translation: Davis 2010, 44-45, lightly modified.