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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Latin inscription on an altar pedestal, recording the deposition of relics of *Felicianus (one of the martyrs of Vaga, 00817) and *Menas (presumably the soldier and martyr buried at Abu Mena, 00073). Found in Carthage (central North Africa). Probably 4th/5th c.

Evidence ID

E07393

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Inscribed architectural elements

+
e bea[tissimorum ... martyrum]
s(an)c(t)i Feli-
ciani
s(an)c(t)i
Mene
Dies natalis [... deposi]
tionis IIII K(a)l(endas) n[ovembres]

'...and of the most blessed martyrs, saint Felicianus, saint Menas.
The day of their martyrdom (...)
[the day of] deposition the 4th day before the Kalends of November [29 October]'


Text: Duval 1982, no. 9 (after Poinssot and Lantier).
Translation: Stanisław Adamiak.

Cult Places

Altar

Relics

Unspecified relic
Transfer/presence of relics from distant countries

Cult Related Objects

Inscription

Source

Fragment of an altar pedestal, found in a cistern near the basilica known as 'Damous el Karita' at Carthage. The preserved fragment is 60 cm high, 50 cm wide. The letters are 5 cm in height.

According to L. Ennabli, the letter forms permit us to date the inscription to the end of the 4th/beginning of the 5th century.

Recorded in the Museum of Tunis.



Discussion

The names of the martyrs in the genitive and the final formula indicate that the inscription commemorates the deposition of relics.

Felicianus is an African saint, commemorated in the Calendar of Carthage on the same day mentioned her, 29 October (E02201), together with others who are identified as martyrs of Vaga, a small city of the province of Proconsularis (between Carthage and Bulla Regia): 'Feliciani et Vagensium' 'Felicianus and [the martyrs] of Vaga'. These are presumably the same martyrs as the 'Felicianus with his companions', whose commemoration in Africa is recorded in the
Martyrologium Hieronymianum on the following day, 30 October (E05003). Confusingly, in the Hieronymianum there is also a Felicianus commemorated on 29 October (E05002), but he is almost certainly a different saint, as he is said to be commemorated in Lucania, in Italy, and is named as the third member of a group of four martyrs (E02192).

Menas is presumably the famous Egyptian saint.

The final formula shows that the day of the martyrdom of the saints was most probably chosen as the day of the deposition of their relics.


Bibliography

Editions:
Duval, Y., Loca sanctorum Africae: Le culte des martyrs en Afrique du IVe au VIIe siècle (Rome: École Française de Rome, 1982), vol. 1, 22-24, no. 9; vol. 2, 661-663 and 742.

Ennabli, L.,
Les inscriptions funéraires chrétiennes de Carthage. III. Carthage intra et extra muros (Rome: École Française de Rome, 1991), 299-300, no. 500.

Images



From Y. Duval 1982, no. 9
























Record Created By

Stanisław Adamiak

Date of Entry

03/06/2022

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00073Menas, soldier and martyr buried at Abu MenaMenasUncertain
S00817Felicianus and the Martyrs of VagaFelicianusUncertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Stanisław Adamiak, Cult of Saints, E07393 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E07393