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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Name

Caecilia, virgin and martyr of Rome

Saint ID

S00146

Number in BH

BHL 1495

Reported Death Not Before

100

Reported Death Not After

312

Gender
Female
Type of Saint
Martyrs, Virgins
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00328The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of *Urbanus (bishop and confessor/martyr of Rome, S00538), attributes the conversion of Valerianus, the husband of *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146), and a number of other conversions and martyrdoms, to his teaching, and records his burial in the cemetery of Praetextatus on the via Appia outside Rome, on 19 May.
E00683The Notitia ecclesiarum urbis Romae, a guide to saints' graves around Rome, lists those on the via Appia, south of the city. Written in Latin in Rome, 625/649.
E01372The short Life of Vigilius, bishop of Rome 537-555, in the Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome, probably during the 6th c., mentions several churches and other places dedicated to saints, namely the basilica of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), the church of *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146), the city-gate of *Paul (the Apostle, S00008), and the grave of *Marcellus (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00529), all in or around Rome, as well as a church of *Euphemia (martyr of Chalcedon, S00017) in Constantinople.
E02519The Latin Martyrdom of *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146) and her Companions (martyrs of Rome, S00537), perhaps by Arnobius the Younger, narrates this noble woman's espousal of chastity and her conversion of her husband Valerianus and his brother Tiburtius to Christianity; the eventual martyrdom of the brothers; the conversion and martyrdom of their intended executioner, Maximus; how Caecilia's house became a church: her martyrdom and burial next to the bishops of Rome. Written presumably in Rome, in the 5th or 6th c., in the mid-5th if by Arnobius.
E02744The Latin decrees of a synod, held in 499 in St Peter's basilica, Rome, by Pope Symmachus (498-514), are subscribed to by a number of presbyters of the city's titular churches, each identified by the name of his titulus, a few of which are dedicated to saints; preserved as Symmachus Letter 1.
E03934The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 22 November *Agapios (martyr of Caesarea of Palestine, S00188), *Amphilochos (theologian and bishop of Iconium, ob. c. 400, S01805), *Clemens/Clement (bishop of Rome, martyr of the Crimea, S00111) and *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146).
E04596Hymn in honour of *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146) composed in Latin in Spain, possibly in the 7th c.
E04664Scarcely preserved painted Greek inscription, just possibly referring to relics of *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146). Found on a wall of the 'crypt of Caecilia', Cemetery of Callixtus, Via Appia, Rome. Probably very late 7th-9th c., possibly c. 820.
E04915The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 11 August.
E04958The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 16 September.
E05022The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 17 November.
E05027The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 22 November.
E05261Latin visitor graffiti with invocations on behalf of two people, including one monk, affiliated to an institution of a saint Caecilia (probably *Caecilia, virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146), and of a saint whose name is lost. Found in the cemetery Ad Sanctos Marcellinum et Petrum /inter duas lauros, via Labicana, Rome, in the crypt where *Marcellinus and Petrus (martyrs of Rome, $S00577) were probably venerated. Probably 7th/9th c.
E05555Venantius Fortunatus writes eleven books of Poems in Latin, mainly in western and north-western Gaul, 565/600; many of them with reference to saints. Overview entry.
E05563Venantius Fortunatus, in a poem (1.2) on the church of *Andrew (the Apostle, S00288) built by Bishop 'Vitalis' of Ravenna, lists the relics housed there. Written in Latin in Ravenna (northern Italy), 545/565.
E05674Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 22 November of *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146). Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E05861The Calendar of Willibrord, in its earliest version, records the feasts of various saints in November. Written in Latin at Echternach, Frisia (north-east Gaul), 703/710.
E05950Mosaic roundels on the barrel vaults of the Cappella Arcivescovile of Ravenna (northern Italy), with portrait busts of twelve apostles and twelve martyrs (six female, six male); created 494/520.
E06046Mosaics in the nave of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna (northern Italy) depicting twenty-two female saints, preceded by the three Magi, processing towards the Virgin and Child, and twenty-six male saints, probably originally preceded by *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), processing towards Christ; created under Bishop Agnellus, 557/564.
E06245Venantius Fortunatus, in a poem on virginity (8.3), when describing the court of heaven lists numerous saints with the cities of their resting-place. Written in Latin in Gaul, probably in the early 570s.
E06362The decrees of a synod held by Pope Gregory the Great in 595 in St Peter’s basilica, Rome, are subscribed by presbyters from many of the city's titular churches, all dedicated to saints (Register 5.57a). Written in Latin in Rome.
E06449Gregory the Great in a document of 603 (Register, Appendix 9) issues instructions for a sevenfold litany (septiformis letania), with seven supplicatory processions through Rome to the church of *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) [Santa Maria Maggiore], seeking the end of an unspecified scourge from God; the processions are to leave from the following churches: of *John (the Baptist, S00020); *Marcellus (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00529); *Iohannes and Paulus (brothers and eunuchs, martyrs of Rome, S00384); *Cosmas/Kosmas and Damianus (brothers, physician martyrs of Syria, S00385); *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030); *Vitalis (soldier and martyr of Ravenna, S02826); *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146). Written in Latin in Rome.
E06575Aldhelm, in his prose On Virginity, names *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146) as an exemplary virgin. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/686.
E06591The Latin Gelasian Sacramentary (or Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Ecclesiae), probably compiled around 750 near Paris using earlier material from Rome, records prayers to saints on their feast days in November.
E06659Aldhelm's verse On Virginity lists a range of saints as exemplary virgins, with some variations to the list found in the earlier prose version of the same treatise. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/710. Overview entry
E06788Latin papyrus preserved in Monza (northern Italy) listing the 'oils of the holy martyrs who in body rest in Rome' brought from Rome for Theodelinda, queen of the Lombards, naming many Roman saints. Written at Monza or Rome, 590/604; preserved in its original copy.
E06992The De Locis Sanctis, a guide to the graves of the martyrs around Rome, lists those on the via Appia, south of the city. Written in Latin in Rome, 642/683.
E07892The Itinerarium Malmesburiense, a guide to saints' graves around and within Rome, lists those outside the porta Appia on the via Appia, south of the city. Written in Latin in Rome, 642/683.
E08222The Gothic Missal compiles liturgical texts for the celebration of saints' feasts throughout the year. Written in Latin in Gaul, perhaps at Luxeuil for the Christian community of Autun, c. 680/710. Overview entry.
E08228The Gothic Missal includes prayers for the celebration of mass on the feast day of *Caecilia (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00146). Written in Latin in Gaul, perhaps at Luxeuil for the Christian community of Autun, c. 680/710.
E08565Mosaic roundels with busts of twelve female martyrs, each identified by an inscription, set on the underside of the triumphal arch opening into the main apse of the basilica of Eufrasius at Poreč (ancient Parentium) on Istria. Datable to the mid-6th c.