E01643: The short Life of *Vitalianus, bishop of Rome (ob. 672, 00682) in the Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome soon after his death, describes the visit to Rome in 663 of the emperor Constans II: he visited the churches of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), *Paul (the Apostle, S00008), and *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), making gifts at each, and processing with his army on a Sunday to St Peter's; also mentioned are Constans' removal to Constantinople of the bronze tiles of the church of St Mary 'ad Martyres' (the Pantheon), and Vitalianus' burial at St Peter's on 27 January.
Creators: name: Robert
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2016
Subjects: History

description: Liber Pontificalis 78<br><br>Vitalianus, natione Signensis, provincia Campania, de patre Anastasio, sedit ann. XIIII mens. VI.<br><br>'Vitalianus, born in Signia, province of Campania, son of Anastasius, held the see 14 years 6 months.'<br><br>....<br><br>Huius temporibus venit Constantinus Augustus de regia urbe per litoraria in Athenas et exinde Taranto, inde Benevento et Neapolim per indictionem VI. Postmodum venit Romae, id est V die mensis iulii, feria IIII, indictione suprascripta. Et occurrit ei obviam Apostolicus cum clero suo miliario VI ab urbe Roma et suscepit eum. Et ipsa die ambulavit imperator ad sanctum Petrum ad orationem et donum ibi obtulit; die sabbato ad sanctam Mariam, itemque donum obtulit. Dominicorum die processit ad sanctum Petrum cum exercitu suo, omnes cum cereis et offeruit super altare ipsius palleum auro textilem; et celebratae sunt missae. Iterum sabbatorum die venit imperator ad Lateranis et lavit et ibidem pransit in basilica Vigilii. Item dominicorum die fuit statio ad sanctum Petrum; et post celebratas missas valefecerunt sibi invicem imperator et pontifex. XII dies in civitate Romana perseverans, omnia quae erant in aere ad ornatum civitatis deposuit; sed et ecclesiae sancte Marie ad martyres quae de tigulis aereis erant discooperuit et in regia urbe cum alia diversa quas deposuerat direxit.<br><br>'In his time the emperor Constantine [= Constans II] came from the imperial city along the coast to Athens, thence to Tarentum, and then to Beneventum and Naples in the 6th indiction. Afterwards he came to Rome, on the 5th day of July, a Wednesday, in the same indiction. The Apostolicus [= Pope Vitalianus] went to meet him with his clergy at the 6th mile from Rome and welcomed him. On the same day the emperor travelled to St Peter’s for prayer and there he presented a gift; on Saturday to St Mary’s and again he presented a gift. On Sunday he proceeded to St Peter’s with his army, all with wax tapers, and on its altar he presented a gold-wrought pallium; and mass was celebrated. Again on Saturday the emperor came to the Lateran, and bathed and dined there in the basilica of Vigilius. Again on Sunday there was a statio at St Peter’s, and after mass was celebrated the emperor and pontiff bade farewell to each other. He stayed in Rome twelve days; he dismantled all the city’s bronze decorations; he removed the bronze tiles from the roof of the church of St Mary ad Martyres, and sent them to the imperial city with various other things he had dismantled.'<br><br>....<br><br>He was buried in at the blessed Peter the apostle on 27 January.<br><br>'Qui etiam sepultus est ad beatum Petrum apostolum sub die VI kal. Febr.'<br><br><br>Text: Duchesne 1886, 343-344. Translation: Davis 2010, 69-70, lightly modified.<br><br>The passage in brackets, &lt;&gt;, is an interpolation, recorded in only some manuscripts of the Liber Pontificalis; it is uncertain when it was added to the text.<br>