Spelunca pravitatis hereticae: Gregory I and the Rededication of "Arian" Church Buildings in Late Antique Rome
This article considers the rededication of two formerly "Arian" churches, S. Severinus and S. Agata dei Goti, by Gregory I, Bishop of Rome from 590 until 604. These rededications are investigated from three perspectives. Part I sketches the historical and topographical context of the build...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Johns Hopkins Univ. Press
2022
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| In: |
Journal of early Christian studies
Year: 2022, Volume: 30, Issue: 1, Pages: 119-148 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Gregor, I., Pope 542-604
/ Sant'Agata dei Goti (Vatican Palace)
/ Kirmess
/ Arianism
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| IxTheo Classification: | KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity KBJ Italy RB Church office; congregation |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article considers the rededication of two formerly "Arian" churches, S. Severinus and S. Agata dei Goti, by Gregory I, Bishop of Rome from 590 until 604. These rededications are investigated from three perspectives. Part I sketches the historical and topographical context of the buildings. Part II considers Gregory's motives. Without denying the practical benefits of church restorations, rededication was an inexpensive way for Gregory to display papal authority during a time of diminished resources and an opportunity to publicly perform and reinforce Rome's orthodox Christian identity. The final part of this paper examines the rhetorical strategies employed by Gregory to describe the rededication of S. Agata in the Dialogues. Importantly, the story of S. Agata is part of a series of vignettes illustrating the victory of Christian orthodoxy over heresy, especially Arianism. This narrative took on added significance in the early 590s as the Lombards threatened the city of Rome. The saints chosen by Gregory to rededicate S. Agata and S. Severinus may have been intended to evoke both the Arian past and the orthodox present of these churches. And although the rituals used to make S. Agata fit for Catholic worship were not significantly different from those used to dedicate any church in late antique Rome, Gregory transformed the rededication ceremony into a dramatic story of the triumph of the city's orthodox community, its church, and its bishop. |
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| ISSN: | 1086-3184 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of early Christian studies
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1353/earl.2022.0004 |