E06910: Pope Gelasius I, in a letter of 492/496, mentions a church dedicated to the martyr *Eleutherius (martyr of Rome, S01661) in Histonium (modern Vasto, central Italy). Written in Latin in Rome.
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posted on 2018-10-17, 00:00authored byfrances
Gelasius I, Letter to Celestinus
Extract:
In ecclesia beati martyris Eleutherii, quae in Histoniensium civitatis parochia probatur esse constructa, Julianum diaconum, si ni in eo est quod contra canonum veniat instituta, presbyteri honore decorabis.
‘In the church of the blessed martyr Eleutherius, which we allowed to be constructed as a parish of the city of Histonium, you will grace the deacon Julianus with the honour of being a priest, if there is nothing in him which contravenes the canons and institutes.’
Text: Thiel 1867. Translation: Frances Trzeciak.
History
Evidence ID
E06910
Saint Name
Eleutherios/Eleutherius, martyr of Rome, and his mother Antia : S01661
Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Rome
Rome
Roma
Ῥώμη
Rhōmē
Cult activities - Places
Cult building - independent (church)
Source
A letter from the letter collection of Pope Gelasius I (492-496).
Discussion
The site of Histonium is on the Adriatic coast, on approximately the same latitude as Rome. According to some versions of the Martyrdom of Eleutherius his body was translated to Troia in northern Puglia, closer geographically to Histonium than Rome and on the same side of the Apennines.
Bibliography
Edition:
Thiel, A., ed., Epistolae Romanorum Pontificum Genuinae et quae ad eos scriptae sunt a s. Hilario usque ad Pelagium II, (1867)
Further Reading:
Neil, Bronwen and Allen, Pauline, 'Introduction' in The Letters of Gelasius I (492-496). Pastor and Micromanager of the Church (Turnhout, 2014), pp. 1-64.