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Priscus of Nocera

3rd-century bishop of Nocera in Italy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Priscus of Nocera (Nuceria Alfaterna, 3rd century – Nuceria Alfaterna, 3rd century) was the first bishop of Nocera, patron saint of the city of Nocera Inferiore and of the diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno.

Born3rd century
Died3rd century
Honoredin
Feast9 May
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Priscus of Nocera
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Died3rd century
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Feast9 May
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In the liturgical year its religious anniversary is 9 May, celebrated in Nocera Inferiore great celebrations, being his birthday a city holiday.

References in literature

Christian literature

The first author to write about San Priscus was the Italian bishop Saint Pontius Anicius Meropius Paolinus. In his book Carme or Carmen, vol. XIX, he writes of the cult of San Priscus being practiced in 405 in Nola, as well as in Nuceria Alfaterna. The testimony of Saint Pontius can be considered a terminus ante quem (a Latin phrase meaning the limit before which — the latest possible date an event could have occurred) and helps to date the life of Priscus.

Ponzio Anicio Meropio Paolino, "Fonte sacrata dies illuxerat illa beati
natalem Prisci referens, quem te Nola celebrat
quamvis ille alia nucerinus Episcopus
Urbe sederit."
[Carme XIX], Carme XIX (in Italian), vol. 515–518

Another author who mentioned the life of Saint Prisco was saint Adonis of Vienne in one of his volumes, called the Martyrology.

Other authors

Giovanni Antonio Remondini wrote a brief description of Bishop Priscus in one of his texts.

Giovanni Antonio Remondini (1751), "Della nolana Ecclesiastica storia" [Of the Nolan Ecclesiastical History], Splendea quel dì nella città di Nola
festivo a Prisco che pastor già resse
là dei pagani e picentin Nocera.
(in Italian), vol. II, book III, Naples (Italy), p. 674

Finally we have a quote about San Prisco by the author Gennaro Orlando, in his book History of Nocera de' Pagani, where the figure of the holy bishop is also described.[1]

Critical authors

Vincenzo D'Avino in his book the Ecclesiastic's Encyclopedia, volume 3, even if he cites two authors who speak of the exploits of San Priscus, the first Saint Pontius Anicius Meropius Paolinus and the second, more recent Ludovico Antonio Muratori famous presbyter, Italian historian, expressly states that there is no certain proof of his life.[2][3][4]

Miracles

The Roman fountain, believed to be a gift from the pontiff to the bishop.

Popular tradition ascribes many miracles to the saint.

Accused of heresy[5] for having celebrated mass at dawn in solitude, he was taken while still wearing cassocks and forced to go to Rome to clear his name in front of the Pope. Having nothing to offer as a gift to the pontiff, he convinced some geese to follow him to Lazio to make a gift to Peter's successor.

Angels appeared in front of the Pope who totally exonerated him. Impressed by this miracle, the pontiff gave Priscus a large marble fountain which the saint transported to Nocera with the sole aid of two vaccarelle (cows).[6] Furthermore, to satisfy the needs of his thirsty companions, the saint made a doe appear out of nowhere who quenched their thirst with her own milk, heating them with burning embers that she had kept under her tunic.

Close to death, he decided to lie down in the same tomb that welcomed his sisters, asking their skeletons to move to make room for him, a wish which was granted.[7]

Finally, the miracle of the separation of the split mountain, a pass (probably Roman work) located on the border between the municipalities of Nocera Inferiore and Castel San Giorgio, as reported in the first volume of the historical novel by Andrea Calenda di Tavani, entitled: Ramondello Orsino, storia napoletana del Trecento.[8][9]

Facade of the Cathedral Basilica of San Prisco, Cathedral of Nocera Inferiore (SA).

Cult

He was initially buried in a tuff tomb in one of the necropolises of Nuceria Alfaterna; his body, the object of growing popular attention, which later became devotion, was moved just west of the ancient city, to an area that would take the name of vescovado, initially to a Benedictine abbey. With the restoration of the diocese in 1386 the abbey church was elevated to the rank of cathedral.

The archaeological research that has taken place inside the Cathedral of Nocera Inferiore has once again made entirely visible the place in which the saint's remains were buried together with those of his two sisters Marzia and Marina, also venerated as saints. The strigilated sarcophagus refers to examples from the 3rd-4th century. The osteological data are pertinent to an elderly and large man.

In addition to the diocese of Nocerina, the cult of San Prisco is also reserved for Sant'Agnello, a municipality on the Sorrento coast where in 1827 a church dedicated to Saints Prisco and Agnello of Naples was consecrated.

Some relics of the sisters of San Prisco are also preserved in a chapel in the crypt of the Salerno Cathedral. They were placed there in the Middle Ages by Bishop Alfano I.

The patronal feast is on 9 May.[10][11]

Bubbetella

Bubbetella is a bean soup that is eaten during the celebration of the patron saint of Nocera Inferiore.[12][13]

Roman marble basin or basin, believed to be a gift from the Pope to Bishop Priscus (1st century AD).

Cathedral Basilica San Prisco

History of the religious complex

The Cathedral Basilica of San Prisco is a cathedral that stands in the current city of Nocera Inferiore, (formerly Nocera de' Pagani).

Before the construction of the cathedral, there was a church, where the faithful of Nocera gathered for functions. It was built following the disappearance of San Prisco, who died near the church of San Filippo alle Macerie (formerly located outside the city walls).

In the 12th century, the Benedictine monks had the modern monastery and the adjoining church dedicated to the saint built there.[14]

The monastery was elevated to a cathedral by Pope Urban VI in 1385, so the entire religious complex was transformed into a bishopric.[15]

At the end of May 2024, several million euros were obtained directly from the Italian Ministry of Culture for the adaptation of the entire religious complex, as the building needed major redevelopments after the 1980 Irpinia earthquake.[16]

Strigilated sarcophagus of San Prisco (2nd- 3rd century AD).

Chapel dedicated to San Prisco

Inside the cathedral there is a chapel dedicated to the patron saint, furthermore there is a stone sarcophagus containing his remains.

Martyrium of San Prisco

The Martyrium of San Prisco was discovered in recent times, under the main apse of the cathedral. The Martyrium of Saint Priscus is in the shape of a semi-annular crypt.[17]

Museum of San Prisco in Nocera Inferiore

The opening of the diocesan museum dedicated to the saint

The diocesan museum dedicated to San Prisco di Nocera was opened on the initiative of the then bishop of Agro-Nocerino-Sarnese Gioacchino Illiano in 2008, to enhance and preserve the works of art of the area.

The museum is located in a wing of the Diocesan Seminary of Nocera, a structure that is part of the current offices of the Curia.

In the museum there are various finds from the countryside of valuable artistic and cultural value and also the famous silver bust, with gilded parts and containing precious stones of San Prisco, created around 1771 by the artist Savero Manzone at the behest of the then bishop of Nocera de' Pagani Benedetto dei Monti Sanfelice (in ancient times Nocera was a single municipality until the definitive division of the two cities occurred in 1851).[18][19]

The restoration of the silver bust of San Prisco

After several months of restoration of three works: the bust of San Prisco, the canvas of the Coronation of Santa Rosa da Lima and the wooden statue of the Virgin of Sorrows, they return to the diocesan museum to be exhibited to the public again,[20] during the evening of 13 September 2019, the restorations were presented at the museum during an evening event.[21][22][23]

On 8 May 2021, a new miter for the silver statue of San Prisco was presented.[24]

Bibliography

Archival sources

Historical sources

Historical novels

See also

Officials sites

  • Staff of DIOCESI DI NOCERA INFERIORE-SARNO; Don Roberto Farruggio (2007). "San Prisco" [Saint Prisco]. DIOCESI DI NOCERA INFERIORE-SARNO (in Italian). Retrieved 27 February 2024. Saint Prisco-Bishop and Confessor-Main patron of the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno.
  • Staff of DIOCESE OF NOCERA INFERIORE-SARNO (2 July 2019). "Visita il Museo San Prisco. Scopri i sui tesori" [Visit the Museum San Prisco. Discover its treasures]. DIOCESE OF NOCERA INFERIORE-SARNO (in Italian). Retrieved 3 April 2024. In the heart of the Vescovado quarter in Nocera Inferiore, on the ground floor of diocesan curia, stands the MUSEUM SAN PRISCO, a treasure trove of ART works of art of exceptional value: canvases, silvers, sacred vestments and historical relics.
  • Salvatore D'Angelo (8 May 2021). "Una nuova mitria per san Prisco. Festa in Cattedrale" [A new miter for Saint Priscus. Feast in the Cathedral]. insieme, ATTUALITA' E CULTURA DELL'AGRO (in Italian). Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  • Staff of storienapoli.it; Roberto Iossa (22 October 2022). "SAN PRISCO-PATRONO DI NOCERA INFERIORE" [SAINT PRISCO-PATRON OF NOCERA INFERIORE]. storienapoli.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 March 2024. The life of San Prisco, between doubts, faith and miracles.
  • Staff of SANPRISCO.NET; Domenico Palmiero. "SAN PRISCO VESCOVO E MARTIRE" [SAINT PRISCO BISHOP AND MARTYR]. SANPRISCO.NET (in Italian). Retrieved 1 March 2024. The tradition in Nocera Inferiore and the history of San Prisco.
  • Staff of Comune di Nocera Inferiore. "Luoghi di culto" [Places of worship]. Comune di Nocera Inferiore (in Italian). Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  • Staff of ASSOCIAZIONE MUSEI ECCLESIASTICI ITALIANI. "Museo diocesano "San Prisco" di Nocera Inferiore" ["San Prisco" diocesan museum of Nocera Inferiore]. ASSOCIAZIONE MUSEI ECCLESIASTICI ITALIANI. Retrieved 24 April 2024.

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