Sanctuary of San Saturnino: A Pilgrimage to Underground Rome

Immersed in the silence of the Roman countryside, along the ancient Via Salaria, once stood the Sanctuary of San Saturnino, a place of worship and memory now lost but with a fascinating history. This sanctuary was the devotional heart of the Trasone cemetery complex, a sacred area that held the remains of numerous martyrs. A journey to discover it is an adventure into Paleochristian Rome, among hidden ruins and lost catacombs, speaking of faith, exile, and martyrdom.

History and Origins of the Sanctuary

The history of the sanctuary has its roots in the 4th century, being first attested in the Depositio martyrum of 354 AD. The focal point of the cult was the tomb of the holy martyr Saturnino, located inside a basilica built above the Catacomb of Trasone.

The figure of Saturnino is historically supported by the letters of Saint Cyprian of Carthage. Originally from Africa, Saturnino was tortured for his faith in Carthage during the persecution of Emperor Decius in 250 AD. Having arrived in exile in Rome, he was welcomed by the local Christian community, only to later suffer martyrdom, likely under Decius or Valerian. His human story as an exile and witness of faith was so well-known that Pope Damasus himself dedicated an epigraphic poem to it, placed near his burial, a true poetic “ex-voto.”

The basilica received papal care: it was restored by Pope Adrian I in the 8th century and later embellished with paintings by Pope Gregory IV around 828 AD. The sanctuary remained a pilgrimage destination at least until the end of the 13th century, as evidenced by a bull from Pope Nicholas IV in 1289 granting indulgences to visitors on the feast day of the martyr.

Architecture and the Lost Traces

Unfortunately, nothing of the sanctuary remains above ground today, but descriptions from ancient explorers allow us to imagine it. The only information comes from Antonio Bosio, the pioneer of Christian archaeology, who saw its remains in 1594 about 1200 meters from Porta Salaria.

• **Structure**: The church measured about 12 meters in length and featured a **semicircular tribune**. Inside, a staircase led directly down to the catacomb below.

• **Decorations**: The church vault was splendidly decorated with **stucco vine scrolls**, a recurring Eucharistic symbol in Paleochristian art.

• **Location**: Its position can be identified on a 1551 map by Bufalini, where it appears with the caption “S.CITRINA”, likely a corruption of the name Saturnino.

The access to the underlying catacombs made this place a perfect example of a martyrial sanctuary “ad memoriam,” where the faithful could physically descend to pray at the saint’s tomb.

Traditions, Translations, and Decline

Devotion to San Saturnino was alive for centuries and also led to the translation of his relics. We know that Pope Sergius II (844-847) transferred some of them, along with those of his fellow martyr Sisinnio, to the church of Santa Maria Dominae Rosae.

Other relics were taken, at an unspecified date, to the basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo on the Caelian Hill, where they were officially recognized in 1726 by Cardinal Paolucci. The care of the sanctuary was entrusted to a monastery of Benedictines, at least in the 13th century.

However, the fate of the sanctuary was sealed by abandonment. Already in the Turin Catalogue (circa 1313), a phrase marks its end: “l’ecclesia Sancti Saturnini non habet servitorem” (the church of San Saturnino no longer has a custodian). Time and oblivion have thus completely erased its structures.

How to Visit and Trace the History

Although the sanctuary no longer exists, its spirit and history can be relived through an ideal pilgrimage and historical research.

• **Location of the Ancient Sanctuary**: The area was located along the **ancient Via Salaria**, to the left of the road exiting Porta Salaria. Today it is an urbanized area, but walking there allows one to imagine the landscape seen by medieval pilgrims.

• **The Relics**: To pray over the martyr’s remains, one can go to the **Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo on the Caelian Hill**, one of the most evocative places on the Caelian, where the translated relics are preserved.

• **Adventure in History**: Searching for traces of the sanctuary is an adventure for enthusiasts. Cross-referencing ancient maps (like Bufalini’s) with modern topography is an exciting way to discover the layering of Rome’s history.

Curiosities and Legends

The Passio of Saturnino, contained in the Gesta Marcelli (5th-6th century), tells a gripping story. Saturnino, now elderly, and his companion Sisinnio were forced to work on the construction of the Baths of Diocletian. Condemned to death for their faith, they were beheaded on the Via Nomentana. Their bodies were then piously collected and buried by a certain Trasone on his estate along the Via Salaria, giving rise to the cemetery and the subsequent sanctuary.

This narrative, although hagiographic, connects the sanctuary to one of Rome’s most imposing monuments, the Baths of Diocletian, and paints a vivid picture of late-antique Rome, between persecutions and acts of courageous Christian charity.