Saint Damasus I
Pope
A 4th-century pope, Saint Damasus dedicated his pontificate to the preservation and embellishment of the Roman catacombs. He commissioned the calligrapher Philocalus to engrave famous poetic inscriptions in honor of the martyrs. Out of humility, he refused to be buried alongside the saints so as not to profane their tombs.
Guided reading
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POPE SAINT DAMASUS AND THE CATACOMBS.
Devotion to the martyrs and works in the catacombs
Saint Damasus manifested a deep devotion for the relics of the martyrs, restoring and adorning the entirety of subterranean Rome.
Until our times, all that was known of the solicitude and devotion of Saint D amasus for t saint Damase 4th-century pope known for his work restoring the catacombs and his poetic inscriptions. he relics of the martyrs were the Carmen or Inscriptions attributed to this Pope and collected, to the number of thirty-seven, probably by pilgrims of the 5th or 6th century, who transcribed them for the satisfaction of their personal piety upon the catacomb monuments. Furthermore, we must add that criticism was quite difficult regarding their authenticity. But, in our day, the study of the catacombs has singularly modified the question. The works of Saint Damasus in our Christian hypogea, says M. de Rossi, we re not only M. de Rossi Christian archaeologist whose work brought to light the contributions of Damasus in the catacombs. partial, and were not localized at a determined point; they extended to all of subterranean Rome. His name is found in each of the catacombs, on the tomb of all the illustrious martyrs. The constructions for ornament or for solidity, the marble staircases arranged in each distinguished crypt, all bear the imprint of his pious hand. It is to his high intelligence that we owe the preservation of the Christian hypogea, because it was he who caused the abandonment of the vicious system adopted for the construction of the Constantinian basilicas. This system consisted of razing the superimposed levels of a catacomb until one had arrived at the level of the lower crypt, where usually the burial place of the most illustrious martyrs was found. A principal tomb was thus cleared, upon which a sumptuous edifice was raised; but it had been necessary to sacrifice an immense number of other loci to arrive at this result. Damasus understood that, if the relics of the martyrs have a right to our cult, the tomb of the simple faithful must also be the object of inviolable respect. From then on, he extended his pontifical solicitude to the whole of the Christian monuments of the heroic age. The treasures that the piety of the matrons placed at his disposal, and for which the pagan jealousy of Ammianus Marcellinus reproached him, he consecrated not to the satisfaction of his personal luxury, but to the decoration of the places sanctified by the presence of the martyrs. The luxury of Saint Damasus is known to us today. It bursts forth to our gaze in the magnificence of the paleographic characters that bear his name. Damasus, says M. de Rossi again, does not limit himself to composing the eulogies and sepulchral inscriptions of the catacombs. He wanted the beauty of the calligraphy to correspond to the pomp of the language. Archaeologists have already remarked for a long time that the poems of this Pope are engraved on marble in admirable characters, known today under the special designation of Damasian. M. de Rossi has rediscovered the name of the lapidary calligra calligraphe lapidaire Calligrapher and lapidary sculptor, author of the Damasine characters and the Liberian catalogue. pher who executed these masterpieces under the orders of the holy Pope. The humble and skillful sculptor revealed his now glorious personality to us by a subscription in small characters arranged, or rather hidden, at the margin of a monumental inscription. It is conceived as follows:
Preservation of the subterranean heritage
Unlike the system of Constantinian basilicas, Damasus preserves the integrity of the levels of the catacombs out of respect for the burials of the faithful.
SCRIPSIT FVRIVS DIONYSIUS FILOCALVS FVRIVS DIONYSIUS FILOCALVS Calligrapher and lapidary sculptor, author of the Damasine characters and the Liberian catalogue. DAMASI SVI PAPAE CVLTOR AVQUE AMATOR.
The art of Damasian inscriptions
The Pope collaborated with the calligrapher Furius Dionysius Filocalus to create monumental inscriptions with unique artistic characters.
The name of Furius Dionysius Philocalus, thus restored to history, will henceforth remain inseparable from that of Dam Damase 4th-century pope known for his work restoring the catacombs and his poetic inscriptions. asus, whom the pious artist calls his Pope, and for whom he proclaims such high veneration. In another respect, the calligrapher of the 4th century interests us still. M. de Rossi has, in fact, acquired proof that Philocalus wrote the catalogue of the sovereign Pontiffs, known until now under the title of Liberian, because it stops at the mention o f Pope L Libérius Pope whose name is associated with the papal catalogue compiled by Philocalus. iberius. This important discovery confirms, on the one hand, the authenticity of t he notices of the Liber Pontificalis Primary historical source cited for this biography. Liber Pontificalis; on the other, it corroborates the tradition which attributed to Saint Damasus that life, now lost, of the Popes his predecessors. It is therefore with good reason, adds M. de Rossi, that the name of Damasus dominates the entire monumental history of the Roman Church during the first age of peace. His pontificate truly closes the era of the catacombs. It is known that, out of a feeling of admirable humility, this great Pontiff did not wish to choose his burial place in the midst of the tombs of the martyrs whose monuments he had so religiously decorated. 'I would have,' he said, 'I would have ardently wished for this happiness; but I feared profaning the august place where the Saints rest.' After such a scruple, so modestly expressed by a great Pope, by a thaumaturge and a Saint, one understands that burials in the catacombs became very rare. They were no longer authorized except in exceptional circumstances.
Contribution to the history of the papacy
The work of Damasus and his entourage helped to consolidate the entries of the Liber Pontificalis and the history of the first popes.
We have reviewed and completed Father Gi ry's acco Père Giry French hagiographer, author of the version of the narrative presented. unt with the History of the Church, by Abbé Dac abbé Dacron Church historian and source of the narrative. ron.
Humility and the end of the catacomb era
Out of humility, Damasus refused to be buried among the martyrs, symbolically marking the end of the funerary use of the catacombs.
The name of Furius Dionysius Philocalus, thus restored to history, will henceforth remain inseparable from that of Damasus, whom the pious artist calls his Pope, and for whom he proclaims such high veneration. In another respect, the calligrapher of the 4th century interests us still. M. de Rossi has, in fact, acquired proof that Philocalus wrote the catalogue of the sovereign Pontiffs, known until now under the title of Liberian, because it stops at the mention of Pope Liberius. This important discovery confirms, on the one hand, the authenticity of the notices of the Liber Pontificalis; on the other, it corroborates the tradition which attributed to Saint Damasus that life, now lost, of the Popes his predecessors. It is therefore with good reason, adds M. de Rossi, that the name of Damasus dominates the entire monumental history of the Roman Church during the first age of peace. His pontificate truly closes the era of the catacombs. It is known that, out of a sentiment of admirable humility, this great Pontiff did not wish to choose his burial place in the midst of the tombs of the martyrs whose monuments he had so religiously decorated. 'I would have,' he said, 'I would have ardently wished for this happiness; but I feared to profane the august place where the Saints rest.' After such a scruple, so modestly expressed by a great Pope, by a thaumaturge and a Saint, one understands that burials in the catacombs became very rare. They were no longer authorized except in exceptional circumstances.
Sources of the narrative
The text is based on the works of Father Giry and Abbé Dacron.
We have reviewed and supplemented Father Giry's account with the History of the Church, by Abbé Dacron.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Restoration and ornamentation of the catacombs of Rome
- Composition of poetic inscriptions (Carmen) for the martyrs
- Abandonment of the system of destroying the upper levels of the catacombs
- Commissioned calligraphic works from Furius Dionysius Philocalus
- Refused out of humility to be buried among the martyrs
Quotes
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I would have ardently wished for this happiness; but I feared to profane the august place where the Saints rest
Saint Damasus (remarks reported regarding his choice of burial) -
SCRIPSIT FVRIVS DIONYSIUS FILOCALVS DAMASI SVI PAPAE CVLTOR AVQUE AMATOR
Inscription of Philocalus