The Tomb of Priscilla

Before the church of Domine Quo Vadis, at the intersection between the Via Appia Antica and the Via Ardeatina an ancient Roman tomb – partially covered by two buildings erected on its structure – of the mound type standing on a quadrangular  podium, is to be found.
This is the tomb that Titus Flavius Abascantus, a powerful freedman under Emperor Domitian, had built on his property near the Almone brook on the untimely death of his wife Priscilla. Roman law forbade the dead to be  buried within  the city walls. Hence, patrician families used to build their graves along consular roads, near the cities, often within their own suburban properties. To those entering the city from then suburbs, the monumental character of patrician tombs was a sign of the prestige enjoyed by the different Roman families.
Poet Statius (Silvae, V. 1) described in detail the funeral of young Priscilla. Her remains, embalmed and shrouded in purple cloth, were laid in a marble sarcophagus, and her likeness reproduced in statues placed within the tomb, portraying goddesses  and heroines from Greek and Roman mythology.
Thanks to the cooperation between the Appia Antica  Regional Park and the Municipal Superintendency, the tomb which for decades was hidden from the view of those travelling along the Via Appia Antica, has been restored to the central role it deserves. Highly visible from the area of the Catacombs of S. Callisto, the tomb opens the monumental Appia Antica trail.

The tomb in the past and today

Currently, the remains of the monuments are partially hidden by two modern farmhouses. The first, close to the Via Appia, probably dating back to Medieval times, has two floors, and an extension on its southern side dating back to the end of the 19th century.  The second located on the opposite side of the tomb’s podium whose ancient entrance it hides, is more recent, and incorporates two or more ancient building (Gregorian Cadastre). The Tomb, thought to have been built during the second half of the 1st century A.D., had a quadrangular ground plan over twenty metres per side, and was covered with travertine Opus Quadratum masonry. Today, part of the concrete core of the original podium is extant.
Above it, to cylindrical drums made of tufa Opus Reticulatum masonry were to be found. In the upper one, 13 niches housed statues portraying Priscilla. In the middle of the drum, above an irregular square base, stands a Medieval tower, commonly known as Torre Petro, some six metre in height, and roughly built of various types of stripped material testifying to the fact that probably as early as the 11th century, the tomb was turned into a fortification. Through the farmhouse’s cellar, hiding the original entrance to the tomb, an ancient corridor covered by a barrel vault, leading to the funerary chamber, can be accessed. The walls of this chamber, which is also covered by a barrel vault, were lined with travertine Opus Quadratum masonry, as testified to by a number of remaining blocks. On three sides, niches hosting sarcophagi are to be found. In fact, as recalled by Statius, Priscilla was embalmed according to Oriental custom, and was not cremated according to the funerary customs of the time. The inner part of the tomb has made the object of several changes. Until the 1960s it was used as a “caciara”, a cheese-ripening cave, and wooden structure, used for this purpose, are still standing, placed against the original walls.

The enhancement project

The Municipal Superintendency has recently started a recovery and enhancement programme in the archaeological area of the Tomb of Priscilla.
The action, designed in collaboration with the Appia Antica Regional Park, is placed within the framework of an ampler cooperation agreement between the Park Body and the Superintendency, and aims at arresting the monument’s degradation. It was decided to adopt remedial measures marked by low invasiveness. Materials were chosen carefully, taking into account compatibility criteria, with a view to obtaining optimum visual effects and, concurrently, best technical results.
After removing the grass covering the walls, weed-killing measure were taken. The second phase of the action was focused on eliminating earth deposits, and a number of modern masonry structures, hiding the tomb, were removed.
After the ancient floor level was recovered, the inner walls were cleaned revealing the original tufa blocks. In order to make the Tomb accessible to visitors, it proved necessary to strengthen the surmounting Medieval tower. This action has made it possible for visitors to fully enjoy the monument. A walkway leads to the central section of the tomb (the inner drum), were the back of the niches originally hosting the statues dedicated to Priscilla is visible.
“…. Ranged in a never-ending line, all the balms that the Spring of Arabia and Cilicia produces, the perfumes of Saba, the harvest of India meant to be burned, the incense of the gods, the essences of Palestine and Israel, the saffron of Corico and myrrh sprouts go by. She (Priscilla) lies on a high funeral bed, built by the Chinese (in China), and she is covered by a pall of Tyrian cloth…”

Stazio, Silvae (V.1)

The Gospel of Saint John

The Gospel of Saint Luke

The Gospel of St. Mark

Gospel of St. Mark

Mark, a disciple and interpreter of Peter, in Rome, requested by the brothers, succinctly wrote the Gospel, according to the report he had heard from Peter.
Being aware, the Apostle approved what had been done and, according to the statements of Clement in the sixth book of "Y potupòseon" (Outlines) it can be said about Mark’s authorship.
According to Papias, the bishop of Hierapolis, this Gospel was written by Mark, while Peter, in his first Epistle under the name of Babylon referring to Rome, writes: "The church that is in Babylon sends you greetings and so does Mark, my son."
Taking the gospel which he had composed, Mark went to Egypt to preach, first of all, the Gospel, and founded the church with the doctrine and with such examples of virtue to force all the followers of Christ to walk in his footsteps.
Then Philo, one of the most educated Jews, seeing that Church which resembled the synagogue, wanted as if to praise his people, wrote a book about the way of life of the early Christians, and, as Luke tells the believers in Jerusalem, had all their goods in common, gave them to him as it was in Alexandria, under the guidance of Mark.
The Evangelist died in the eighth year of Nero, and was buried in Alexandria, and his successor was Anianus.

• (St. Jerome: cpt. VIII of the book "De viris illustribus").

The Gospel of Saint John

The Gospel of Saint Luke

The Tomb of Priscilla

THE ST. GALLEN TEXTILE MUSEUM

(HERRLICHKEITEN-Textile Kirchenschätze aus St. Gallen)

For centuries, it is usual to associate splendor and sumptuousness especially with the Catholic Church. Fabrics of many colors and decorated with the objects by the goldsmith artisans and glassmakers attract admiration. The liturgical celebrations are lavish staging of the art work, a perfect synthesis of music, lyrics and decorations.
The production of the garments is subject to strict rules, according to which colors, materials and shapes mark the various stages of the liturgical year, or ecclesiastical feasts.
For ecclesiastical garments only the most precious materials were and are used. Some items had to be made exclusively of silk or linen. The embroidery with silk threads, gold and silver threads, pearls and sequins decorates the clothes of the prelates and clergy, and embellishes the fabric for the altar, the accessories for the sacred liturgy, the furniture, the interior of the church, as well as the banners in processions or canopies.

The use of the ecclesiastical dress during the liturgical year is governed by strict rules. The Canon of the colors of the Christian church dates back to antiquity and the possible coloring techniques for that time. The first color order in the sacred liturgy is due to Pope Innocent III in 1200, sanctioned in 1570 in the Roman Missal.

The new Missal of 1970 reflects these rules that are still valid today:

White (with gold and silver) is a sign of purity, innocence, light and joy, is used during the Christmas and Easter time, feasts of the Lord, the Virgin Mary and the saints that are not martyrs.
Red is the color of blood and fire, it is used at Pentecost, during the Feasts of the Apostles and Martyrs, on Palm Sunday and Good Friday.
Purple is a symbol of passage and transformation, it is used in Advent, Lent and in the liturgy of the dead.
Pink indicates the waiting, and it is used on the third Sunday of Advent and the fourth Sunday of Lent.
Black indicates grief and death, but also the transition from earthly life to eternal life, and it is used in the dead celebration.
Green is a symbol of hope and life, and it is used in ordinary time.

Even the cut of the liturgical garments has ancient roots, when the dress was used to highlight the clergy than the mass of believers, making tangible the power and wealth of the Church. The appearance of liturgical garments has changed a little throughout the centuries, while patterns of the used fabrics and the type of decoration have adapted to the spirit of the time.
Originally garments were made by professional embroiderers and nunneries, and about 150 years are also made by specialized companies. At the end of the 19th century, many embroidery companies of St. Gallen produced ecclesiastical fabrics. They worked according to tradition, adapting clothes to the taste of time and making them modern. The Huber-Meyenberger Kirchberg has made garments in large quantities till 1905. The clothing company of the most successful garments is Fraefel of St. Gallen, who made garments from 1883 to 1965. 150 employees, hand embroiderers from all eastern Switzerland and nuns worked for this company. The export of the products in the U.S. and Germany has played a leading role until the end of the 20s.

Gospel of St. Luke

Luke, a physician of Antioch, had good knowledge of Greek. He became a disciple and companion of the Apostle Paul in all his travels, he wrote the gospel, about which Paul says: "We sent with him the brother, who is praised in all the churches for the gospel," and writing to the Colossians says "My dear friend Luke, the physician, greets you," and to Timothy writes: "Only Luke is with me."
They also published another book entitled "The Acts of the Apostles," the history of which goes up to the second year of Paul's stay in Rome, that is until the fourth year of Nero, and we can argue that it was the book written in Rome.
Some people think that whenever Paul in his letters uses the phrase: "According to my gospel," wants to allude to the book of Luke. Luke, however, learned the gospel not only by the Apostle Paul, who did not live with the Lord during his earthly life, but also by other apostles, as he says at the beginning of his book such words: "Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word."
He wrote the gospel as he had learned from the stories of others, while he compiled "the Acts of the Apostles" according to what he had seen himself.
He was buried in Constantinople, where, in the twentieth year of Constantine, his bones were transferred together with the relics of St. Andrew.

• (St. Jerome: cpt. VII of the book "De viris illustribus").