From Grave to Altar. Sant’Alessandro sulla Via Nomentana and the “renovation” of the martyrial cult in fifth-century Rome
| Title in English | From Grave to Altar. Sant’Alessandro sulla Via Nomentana and the “renovation” of the martyrial cult in fifth-century Rome. |
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | The suburban complex of Sant’ Alessandro sulla Via Nomentana – 12 km from Rome – was renovated at the beginning of the fifth century CE by Ursus, bishop of Nomentum. The intervention focused on the tombs of the martyrs and transformed the catacomb into a sanctuary. The graves of Sts Eventius and Alexander and that of St Theodul were the main core of the renovation: they were fully reshaped, though keeping the preexisting monuments, while a new basilica was built in visual communication with the burial of Sts Eventius and Alexander. This intervention was meant to emphasize the importance of the sanctuary and to foster the pilgrimage on the site. The interplay between the preservation of the past and its promotion through the transformation of the surrounding space aimed to establish the primacy of the bishopric seat of Nomentum. In the second half of the century, the alleged identification of St Alexander with a second-century pope followed this direction, stressing a closer connection to the pope and Rome, showing a general renegotiation of the past. The paper aims to present this intervention in its multifaceted layers, seen in the overall process of combination between holy bodies and altars in the creation of the late antique sacred space. A further reference will show how these renovations were the occasion for a new arrangement of the space used by patrons – both religious and lay – to promote themselves and create a new association with the sacred space and the martyrs. |