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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Name

Felicitas, martyr of Rome, with her sons, buried on the via Salaria

Saint ID

S00525

Number in BH

BHL 2853-2855

Reported Death Not Before

138

Reported Death Not After

193

Gender
Female
Male
Type of Saint
Martyrs, Mothers and fathers, Groups and pairs of saints
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00637The Notitia ecclesiarum urbis Romae, a guide to saints' graves around Rome, lists those on the via Salaria nova, north-east of the city. Written in Latin in Rome, 625/649.
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.
E01052The Depositio Martirum, a list of burials of martyrs (primarily of Rome), gives both the day of the year and the place of their burial; from the so-called Chronography of 354, compiled in Latin in Rome, c. 354.
E01285The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of *Bonifacius (bishop of Rome, ob. 422, S00472), recounts the disputed election of Bonifacius and Eulalius, during which the former stayed at the cemetery of *Felicitas (martyr of Rome, S00525) on the via Salaria and celebrated Easter at the basilica of *Agnes (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00097) on the via Nomentana, both in the suburbs of Rome, while the latter stayed at [the church of?] *Hermes (presumably the martyr of Rome buried on the via Salaria vetus, S00404), at Antium (Anzio, south of Rome), and celebrated Easter at the Lateran, within Rome. It also mentions the construction by Bonifacius of an oratory of Felicitas and her son Silvanus at her cemetery on the via Salaria, and his burial close to her body on 25 October [AD 422].
E01350The 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 during his episcopate (498-514).
E02264The Latin Liber ad Gregoriam, possibly by Arnobius the Younger, refers to written accounts of the martyrdoms of married women martyrs of Rome and its vicinity, *Anastasia (martyr of Sirmium and Rome, S00602), *Felicitas (martyr of Rome, buried on the via Salaria, S00525), and *Symphorosa (martyr of Tivoli, S01165), presenting them as examples for the recipient of the work, the matrona Gregoria. Written possibly in Rome, sometime in the 5th/6th c.
E02494The Latin Martyrdom of *Felicitas and her seven sons (martyrs of Rome, S00525) narrates the arrest, trial and death of the pious widow Felicitas and her seven sons (Ianuarius, Felix, Philippus, Silanus, Alexander, Vitalis, and Martialis). Written presumably in Rome, before the late 6th c.
E02980Peter Chrysologus, bishop of Ravenna, preaches a sermon (Sermon 134) about the mother of seven martyred sons, probably for the feast of *Felicitas and her seven sons (martyrs of Rome, S00525). Delivered in Latin at Ravenna (northern Italy), c. 450.
E04621The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 24 January.
E04876The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 9 July.
E04877The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 10 July.
E05028The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 23 November.
E05064The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 25 December.
E05128Latin inscription commemorating the monumentalisation of the tomb of *Ianuarius (eldest son of Felicitas and martyr of Rome, S02863) by Pope Damasus. Found in the Cemetery of Praetextatus, via Appia, Rome. 366-384.
E05133Fragmentary Latin inscription invoking *Ianuarius (eldest son of Felicitas and martyr of Rome, buried on the via Appia, S02863; or the deacon and martyr of Rome, S00204), *Felicissimus (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00202), and *Agapitus (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00203) on behalf of a deceased person. Found in the Cemetery of Praetextatus, via Appia, Rome. Probably 4th c.
E05578Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 10 July at Rome of the *Seven sons of Felicitas (martyrs of Rome, S00525): Felix, Philippus, Vitalis, Martialis, Alexander, Silanus and Ianuarius. Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E05676Bede, in his Martyrology, records the feast on 23 November of *Felicitas, mother of seven martyr sons (martyrs of Rome, S00525). Written in Latin at Wearmouth-Jarrow (north-east Britain), 725/731.
E05840The Calendar of Willibrord, in its earliest version, records the feasts of various saints in January. Written in Latin at Echternach, Frisia (north-east Gaul), 703/710.
E06578Aldhelm, in his prose On Virginity, names *Lucia (virgin and martyr of Syracuse, S00846), whose name, among others, is recited during Mass, 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.
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.
E06912The Cymiteria totius Romanae urbis lists 17 cemeteries around the city of Rome, giving their original names and the name of a prominent saint (or saints) buried there. Presumably written in Rome, possibly in the 6th c.
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.
E06998The De Locis Sanctis, a guide to the graves of the martyrs around Rome, lists those on the via Salaria nova, north-east of the city. Written in Latin in Rome, 642/683.
E07190Latin inscription commemorating *Felix and Philippus (the second and third sons of Felicitas, martyr of Rome, S00525), partially or wholly composed by Pope Damasus (366-384). Cemetery of Priscilla, via Salaria Nova, Rome.
E07496Latin inscription commemorating a vow to *Felicitas (martyr of Rome, S00525). Now lost, but probably displayed at the Cemetery of Felicitas/the Cemetery of Maximus on the via Salaria, Rome. Probably 5th c. or later [provisional entry]
E07497Very fragmentary Latin inscription, probably an epitaph, giving a consular date of AD 372, and with just possibly a reference to a feast or the basilica of *Felicitas (martyr of Rome, S00525). Found at the Cemetery of Felicitas/the Cemetery of Maximus on the via Salaria, Rome. [provisional entry, description needed]
E07499Latin inscription recording the purchase of a tomb situated near *Felicitas (martyr of Rome, S00525), probably a burial ad sanctos. Found in the cemetery of Feilicitas/Cemetery of Maximus on the via Salaria, Rome. Probably mid-4th c. [provisional entry]
E07500Very fragmentary Latin inscription containing an imperative clause, just possibly a request for the intercession addressed to a saint whose name is lost. Found in the cemetery of Feilicitas/Cemetery of Maximus on the via Salaria, Rome. Probably 4th or 5th c. [provisional entry]
E07501Fragmentary Latin inscription recording the purchase of a tomb situated near a male saint whose name is lost, arguably *Sil(v)anus (martyr of Rome, one of the seven sons of Felicitas, S00525), probably a burial ad sanctos. Found in the cemetery of Feilicitas/Cemetery of Maximus on the via Salaria, Rome. Probably mid-5th c. [provisional entry]
E07502Painted Latin inscriptions labelling painted figures of saints *Ianuarius, *Silanus, *Philip, and *Martialis (martyrs of Rome and four out of seven sons of Felicitas, S00525). Found on a wall in the Cemetery of Felicitas/Cemetery of Maximus on the via Salaria, Rome. Probably late 6th/early 7th c.
E07503Latin verse inscription praising *Felicitas and her seven sons (martyrs of Rome, S00525). Once ascribed to pope Damasus, but the attribution was later questioned. Now lost, but probably displayed in the Cemetery of Felicitas/Cemetery of Maximus on the Via Salaria, Rome; possibly directly at the tomb of Felicitas. Probably 4th c. or later, e.g. 418-422 if it was composed to celebrate the restoration of the basilica and tomb of Felicitas by Pope Boniface I [provisional entry]
E07504Latin dedicatory inscription in single pentameter verse, probably to *Felicitas (martyr of Rome, S00525). Now lost, but probably displayed at the Cemetery of Felicitas/the Cemetery of Maximus on the via Salaria, Rome. Probably 5th c. or later [provisional entry]
E07505Latin verse inscription praising *Felicitas and her seven sons (martyrs of Rome, S00525). Once ascribed to Pope Damasus, but much more probably composed to celebrate the restoration of the basilica and tomb of Felicitas by Pope Boniface I (418-422), in a style imitating the Damasan verse. Now lost, but probably displayed in the surface basilica at the Cemetery of Felicitas/Cemetery of Maximus on the Via Salaria, Rome. [provisional entry]
E07519Latin dedicatory inscription with a poem imitating Damasan verse, on a plaque set up as a vow to *Alexander (martyr of Rome, one of the seven sons of St Felicitas, S00525) for miraculous healing. Found in the Cemetery of the Jordani (Catacomba dei Giordani) on the via Salaria, Rome. Probably late 4th c. [provisional entry]
E07887The Itinerarium Malmesburiense, a guide to saints' graves around and within Rome, lists those outside porta Salaria (now called saint Silvester's gate) on the via Salaria, north-east of the city. Written in Latin in Rome, 642/683.