Finding a new martyr in the catacombs of Rome. No U.S. copies.
Relazione del ritrovamento, e solenne processione fatta nel trasporto del corpo del S. martire Aurelio Fausto di nome proprio dalla chiesa di S. Maria dell’ Orazione e Morte di Roma a quella di S. Stefano in Piscinola nel dì 6. giugno Domenica fi Pentecoste l’Anno 1802. Rome: s.n., 1802. 4to [25.5 x 18.9 cm], 4 pp. Unbound. Untrimmed, minor edge wear, a few small tears at fold, contemporary annotation in German in blank lower margin of final page.
Very rare (no U.S. copies), detailed account of the discovery and translation of early Christian remains found at the Catacomb of Ponziano on the Via Portuense in Rome. This relazione, published in 1802, cites archeological, epigraphic, and iconographical evidence to identify the bones as those of a certain martyr named Aurelius Faustus.
Accounts of the discovery and translation of saints’ relics are, of course, common beginning in the early Middle Ages, but by the early 19th century the continuation of the practice seemed to require evidential justification and not merely faith. The account—written in Italian but clearly for an educated audience—thus opens with explanation of the general importance of martyrs, using Cyprian’s famous quote that it is better to be a martyr than an apostle, and likening martyrs to heroes, fathers, and athletes. Early (Constantine) and more recent (Filippo Neri) translators of relics are cited, and the pomp surrounding this practice is defended.
There follows a description of the archeological context of the finding of this Aurelius Faustus at the Catacomb of Ponziano and a full description of the ceremony which saw the remains placed for a time at the confraternity church of S. Maria dell’Orazione e Morte before being carried to the nearby church of S. Stefano in Piscinula and placed under the main altar there. The relazione records the names of church officials present at the ceremonies, notes on their dress, the route of the procession, and details of the liturgy of both the principal celebration and the observations which continued for several days, etc.
The account closes with rhetorical musings about how modern Christians might profitably imitate martyrs; the specific example of how Aurelius Faustus might inspire believers is not addressed, likely because no one knew who exactly he was.
Within a few decades of the discover of Aurelius Faustus, the church of S. Stefano in Piscinula was deconsecrated and the martyr’s remains removed to S. Tommasso in Parione, today the national church of Eritrea in Rome.
Examples of the Relazione del ritrovamento, e solenne processione fatta nel trasporto del corpo del S. martire Aurelio Fausto are located by OCLC, KVK and OPAC at the British Library, Biblioteca comunale Alessandro Lazzerini (Prato), and Biblioteca romana ed emeroteca (Rome).
*E. Calvi, Bibliografia di Roma nel Medio Evo, supp. 1, p. 120, no. 2381.