Sigericand the Via Francigena

Graham Avery

St Mark’s Church, Florence17 September 2014

Themes

• Who was Sigeric?

• His visit to Rome in 990 AD

– The churches of Rome

– The homeward itinerary

• His route through Tuscany

• The Via Francigena

– From medieval way...

– ... to modern footpath

Origins of Via Francigena

• Main medieval way from Alps to Rome

–not a fixed route, many variants

• Earliest mentions:

– ‘via Francisca’ (876)

– ‘strata Romea’ (990)

• Usually ‘via Romea’ until 12th century

• Then ‘via Francesca’, ‘strata Francigena’,

‘strata Francigenarum’ until 15th century

Medieval pilgrimages

• Jerusalem– pilgrimage to Holy Land from 4th century

– difficult after capture by Muslims in 640

• Rome– relics of martyrs, capital of Western church

– after 640 replaced Jerusalem pilgrimage

– 1300 first Jubilee declared by Boniface VIII

• Compostela– discovery of tomb of St. James in 9th century

– popular pilgrimage from 11th century

Canterbury

Sigeric (or Siric)

• Born circa 940

• Monk at Glastonbury (with Dunstan)

• Abbot of St. Augustine’s, Canterbury

• Bishop of Ramsbury 985

• Archbishop of Canterbury 989

• Died 994

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

• 989: Siric was this year appointed archbishop, and went afterwards to Rome for the pallium

• 991: This year Ipswich was plundered and ... it was resolved that tribute should be given for the first time to the Danes, for the great terror they made along the sea-coast. On this first occasion it was ten thousand pounds. This was done on the advice of Archbishop Siric

• 994: This year Archbishop Siric died

Pallium

• White woollen stole worn around neck

• Liturgical vestment of high office

• In Roman church initially worn only by Pope

• Later granted to metropolitan archbishops

(having right to appoint bishops) & others

• Normally received personally in Rome

Sant’Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna

Innocent III

John Paul II

Francis

Arms of Province of Canterbury

Azure an archiepiscopal

staff Argent ensigned with

a cross formy Or

surmounted of a pallium

Argent edged and fringed

Gold, charged with four

crosses formy fitchy Sable

Sigeric : the manuscript

• London, British Library

• Acquired by Sir Robert Cotton

– MS. Cotton Tiberius B. V

– 11th century parchment of 83 leaves

• Miscellany of computistical, historical

and astronomical treatises

• Text concerning Sigeric: folio 23v–24r

• Published by William Stubbs in 1874 in

• Rerum Britannicarum Medii Aevi Scriptores

– Sources for the medieval history of Britain

• Vol. LXIII

– Reliquiae Dunstanianae

– Memorials of St Dunstan

• Ch. XXIV

– Adventus archiepiscopi nostri Sigerici ad Romam

– Archbishop Sigeric’s arrival in Rome

The churches of Rome

Day 1

• Adventus archiepiscopi nostri Sigerici ad Romam

Archbishop Sigeric’s arrival in Rome

• Primitus ad limitem beati Petri apostoli

First we went to the shrine of the holy apostle Peter

(San Pietro in Vaticano)

• Deinde ad sanctam mariam scolam anglorum

Then to the English College of St. Mary

(Santa Maria in Sassia)

1 San Pietro in Vaticano

2 Santa Maria in Sassia

Day 2

• ad sanctum laurentium in craticula ∙ ad sanctum

valentinum in ponte molui ∙ Ad sanctam agnes ∙ Ad

sanctum laurentium foris murum ∙ Ad sanctum

sebastianum ∙ ad sanctum anastasium ∙ Ad sanctum

paulum ∙ Ad sanctum bonefatium ∙ Ad sanctam

savinam ∙ Ad sanctam mariam scolam grecam ∙ Ad

sanctam ceciliam ∙ Ad sanctum crisogonum ∙ Ad

sanctam mariam transtiberi ∙ Ad sanctum pancratium ∙

• Deinde reversi sunt in domum

Then they went home

3 San Lorenzo in Piscibus

4 S. Valentino al Ponte Molle

5 Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura

6 San Lorenzo fuori le Mura

7 San Sebastiano

8 SS. Vincenzo e Anastasio

9 San Paolo alle Tre Fontane

10 SS. Bonifacio e Alessio

11 Santa Sabina

12 Santa Maria in Cosmedin

13 Santa Cecila in Trastevere

14 San Crisogono

15 Santa Maria in Trastevere

16 San Pancrazio

Day 3

• Mane ad sanctam mariam retunda ∙ Ad sanctos apostolos ∙ Ad sanctus johannes in laterane

The next day to S. Maria Rotonda, to SS Filippo e Giacomo, to S. Giovanni in Laterano.

• Inde reficimus cum domini apostolico johanno

There we had a meal with Pope John

• Deinde ad jerusalem ∙ Ad sanctam mariam majorem ∙ Ad sanctum petrum ad vincula ∙ Ad sanctum laurentium ubi corpus eius assatus fuit

Then to S. Croce in Gerusalemme , S. Maria Maggiore, S. Pietro in Vincoli, S. Lorenzo in Panisperna

17 Santa Maria Rotonda

18 SS. Filippo e Giacomo

19 San Giovanni in Laterano

20 Santa Croce in Gerusalemme

21 Santa Maria Maggiore

22 San Pietro in Vincoli

23 San Lorenzo in Panisperna

The homeward itinerary

I urbs roma (Roma)

II johannis VIIII

(San Giovanni in Nono)

III bacane (Baccano)

IlIl suteria (Sutri)

V furcari (Forcassi)

Iste sunt submansiones de roma usque ad mare

These are the stopping-places from Rome to the sea

List of 79 place-names concluding with

• LXXV Atherats (Arras)

• LXXVI Bruwaei (Bruay)

• LXXVII Teranburh (Therouanne)

• LXXVIII Gisne (Guisnes)

• LXXX Sumeran (Sombre)

Sigeric in Tuscany

IX Aqua pendente Acquapendente

X Sce petir in pail San Pietro in Paglia

XI Abricula Le Briccole

XII Sce quiric San Quirico d’Orcia

XIII Turreiner Torrenieri

XIV Arbia Arbia

XV Seocine Siena

XVI Burgenove Abbadia a Isola

XVII Aelse Elsa

Sce petir in pail (San Pietro in Paglia)

Abricula (Le Briccole)

Sce quiric (San Quirico d’Orcia)

Turreiner (Torrenieri)

Arbia

Seocine (Siena)

Burgenove (Abbadia a Isola)

Aelse (Elsa)

XVIII Sce martin in fosse S. Martino Fosci

XIX Sce gemiane San Gimignano

XX Sce maria glan Chianni

XXI Sce peter currant Coiano

XXII Sce dionisii San Genesio

XXIII Arneblanca Arno

XXIII Aqua nigra Usciana

XXV Forcri Porcari

Sce martin in fosse (S. Martino Fosci)

Sce gemiane (San Gimignano)

Sce maria glan (Chianni)

Sce peter currant (Coiano)

Sce dionisii (San Genesio)

Arneblanca (Arno)

Aqua nigra (Usciana)

Forcri (Porcari)

XXVI Luca Lucca

XXVII Campmaior Camaiore

XXVIII Luna Luni

XXIX Sce stephane S. Stefano

XXX Aguilla Aulla

XXXI Puntremel Pontremoli

XXXII Sce Benedicte Montelungo

XXXIII Sce Modesanne Berceto

Luca (Lucca)

Campmaior (Camaiore)

Luna (Luni)

Sce stephane (S. Stefano di Magra)

Aguilla (Aulla)

Puntremel (Pontremoli)

Sce Benedicte (Montelungo)

Questions

• How did Sigeric travel?

– on foot? alone?

• How long was his stay in Rome?

– 2 ½ days for 23 churches?

• How long to Canterbury?

– are submansiones overnight stays?

– why such short stages in Tuscany?

Distances between submansiones (km)

0

10

20

30

40

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77

Statistics

stages km. av.

Roma-Toscana 9 148 16

Toscana 23 320 14

Toscana-Alpi 16 385 24

Svizzera 8 179 22

Francia 22 656 30

Total 78 1687 22

Comparison of sections (in km)

16

14

24

22

30

22

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Roma-Toscana Toscana Toscana-Alpi Svizzera Francia Total

Why this route for VF ?

• Traverse of Alps

– Why Gran San Bernardo?

• Traverse of Apennines

– Why Passo della Cisa?

• Lombardia vs. Byzantium

• Roads in early medieval period

– Roman roads?

Anglo-Saxons to Rome

• His temporibus multi Anglorum gentis nobiles

et ignobiles, viri et feminae, duces et privati,

divini amoris instinctu de Britannia ad Romam

venire consuerunt

– In those times many English people came to Rome,

drawn by the love of God: nobles & commoners,

men & women, leaders & private persons

• Bede: Cronica Maiora

• Ini ... ad limina beatorum apostolorum ...

profectus est ... quod his temporibus plures de

gente Anglorum, nobiles, ignobiles, laici,

clerici, uiri ac feminae certatim facere

consuerunt

– Ine went to Rome, which in those times many

English people strove to do: nobles, commoners,

lay people, clerics, men and women

• Bede: Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum

• 653-689 Benedict Biscop (5 visits)

• 689 Caedwalla, King of Wessex (†)

• 667 Archbishop Wighard (†)

• 700 Hwaetberht, Abbot of Wearmouth

• 701 Aldhelm

• 709 Coenred, King of Mercia

• 709 Offa, King of East Anglia

• 716 Wethburh

• 721 Daniel, Bishop of Winchester

• 721 Willibald & Winnibald & 730

• 725 Nothelm

• 726 Ine, King of Wessex (†) & Queen Æthelburh

• 732 Wynfrith = Boniface (3 visits)

• 735 Archbishop Egbert

• 736 Archbishop Nothelm

• 737 Forthhere, Bishop of Sherborne & Queen Frithugyth

• 733 Egbert, Bishop of York & 735

• 738 Bugge

• 740 Archbishop Cuthbert

• 750 Cuthwin, Bishop of East Anglia

• 757 Forthred

• 761 Archbishop Bregwin

• 779 Cinebryth, Bishop of Winchester

• 781 Alcuin

• 795 Odberht

• 797 Wada

• 798 Cildas & Ceolbert

• 801 Archbishop Æthelheard & Cyneberht, Bp of Winchester

• 814 Archbishop Wulfred & Wigbeorht, Bishop of Sherborne

• 833 Archbishop Ceolnoth

• 855 Æthelwulf, King of Wessex & son Alfred

• 874 Burhred, King of Mercia (†) & Queen Æthelswith

• 908 Archbishop Plegmund

• 927 Archbishop Wulfhelm

• 960 Archbishop Dunstan

• 990 Archbishop Sigeric

Willibald at Lucca in 721

• Cumque pergentes venerunt ad urbe quae vocatur

Luca, Willebaldus et Wynnebaldus patrem eorum in

comitatu itineris pariter cum illis ducebant. Statimque

sic subitaneo preventus est corporis infirmitate, ut

preteritis temporum capitudinis prope iam instaret

exitus sui dies

– Pursuing their journey, Willibald and Wynnebald arrived at

Lucca with their father. He was struck down by a severe

bodily sickness and soon his end was near.

• Statim illi germani filii eius corporis patris eorum

exanimem paternae pietatis affectu percipientes,

venuste volverunt et terra tumaverunt, et in urbe Luca

ad Sanctum Frigidianum ibi reqiuescit corpus patris

eorum

– When they saw that he was dead they wrapped his body in

a fine shroud and buried him, and his body rests in the

Church of San Frediano at Lucca

Capella Trenta, San Frediano, Lucca

DIVI RICCARDI REGIS

OSSA ET CINERES

Here lie the remains of

King Saint Richard

Alcuin at Parma in 781

• Iussus igitur ab Eanboldo archiepiscopo ... ut

sibi pallium impetraret ab apostolico, venit ad

Romam. Cumque reverteretur accepto pallio,

habuit regem Karolum Parma civitate obvium

– Instructed by Archbishop Eanbald to seek the

pallium for him from the Pope, he went to Rome.

On the way back after obtaining the pallium, he

encountered King Charles at Parma

• Quem magnis rex alloquens suasionibus et

precibus postulavit, ut ad se post expletionem

missatici in Franciam reverteretur

– The king addressed him with pleas and entreaties,

requesting him to join him in Francia after

completing his mission

Boniface: Epistulae

• Perpaucae sunt civitates in Longobardia vel in

Francia aut in Gallia in qua non sit adultera vel

meretrix generis Anglorum, quod scandalum

est et turpitudo totius ecclesiae vestrae– There are few cities in Lombardy or France or Gaul

without an adulterous woman or prostitute from England,

which is a scandal and a shame for your church

Florence & Francigena

• Florence not on early medieval route to Rome

• Less important than Lucca & Siena

– Visit of Charlemagne in 786

– San Donato (Irish) at Fiesole in 829

– No evidence of Anglo-Saxon visitors

• But important Anglo-Saxon works of art

– Codex Amiatinus (Biblioteca Laurenziana)

– Part of Franks Casket (Museo del Bargello)

Codex Amiatinus

• Earliest complete text of Vulgate

–written and illuminated at monastery of Jarrow

– 1029 pages, 50 kg

– dedicated by Abbot Ceolfrid to Pope Gregory II

• It left Jarrow on 4 June 716 with Ceolfrid

– he died at Langres on 25 September

• It was at Abbadia San Salvatore in 9th cent.

– taken to Florence by Medici in 1786

– now in Biblioteca Laurenziana

Franks Casket

• Whalebone box made in Northumbria in 8th cent.

– at Auzon near St. Julien de Brioude in 19th cent

• 4 panels bought in 1857 by A.W. Franks

– donated to British Museum in 1867

• 1 panel bought by J.B. Carrand

– donated by L. Carrand to Bargello in 1888

• Scenes from Bible, Roman history, Nordic myths

–with texts in runes, Old English, Latin

Renaissance of Via Francigena

• 1985 Centro Studi Romei, San Gimignano– Rivista ‘De Strata Francigena’

• 1988 Renato Stopani ‘La Via Francigena - Una strada europea nell'Italia del Medioevo’– Le Lettere, Firenze

• 1990 Giovanni Caselli ‘La Via Romea - Sulla grande via dei pellegrini da Canterbury a Roma’– Giunti, Firenze

• 1994 Via Francigena designated as ‘European Cultural Route’ by Council of Europe

• 1997 Association of Via Francigena

– Adelaïde Trezzini, Geneva

• 2000 Jubilee celebrations, Rome

• 2001 European Association of Via Francigena

• Guidebooks to VF published since 2000

– Italian, French, German, English

• Interest of Italian authorities

– 2007 new signs inaugurated (Monteriggioni)

– 2009 approval of official route (Version 3.1)

– ‘Strategia di marketing territoriale’

Monteriggioni

Canterbury

Via Francigena today

• From medieval way to long-distance path

– problem of defining route for walkers

• Infrastructure needed

– information, way-marks, accommodation

• Example of Camino de Santiago

• Interest of VF for rural development

– LEADER programme of EU

– demand for creation of alternative routes

• Garfagnana, Campiglia d’Orcia

• « A differenza di una serie

di altri grandi itinerari,

primo fra tutto il Camino

di Santiago, la via è

ancora un po’ complicata.

.. manca la segnaletica, le

strutture ricettive non

sono abondanti, le

informazione sono

abbastanza carenti... »

Fabrizio Ardito

Lungo la Francigena

A piedi sulla via di Sigerico

dal Gran San Bernardo

a Roma

Touring Club Italiano

2007

André Weill

Nous sommes faits

pour marcher

La Via Francigena

Mercure Dauphinois

2004

• « A l’évidence, dans le

Val d’Aoste et dans la

plaine du Pô, l’itinéraire

pédestre de la Via

Francigena n’existe pas…

l’itinéraire officiel se

contente d’emprunter les

axes routiers qui relient

les villes entre elles »

Paul Chinn

& Babette Gaillard

Lightfoot Guide

to the via Francigena

Pilgrimage Publications

2008

• “The historic route

(from Piacenza to

Fiorenzuola) follows

the SS9 which has

become a very busy

road with many heavy

goods vehicles and few

escape routes for riders

or walkers”

Best walks on VF

• Two traffic-free excursions

– about10 km on country lanes (strade bianche)

• Abbadia a Isola (near Siena)

– includes Montagnola & Monteriggioni

• Vignoni Alto (near San Quirico d’Orcia)

– includes good views of Val d’Orcia