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The Martyrs of the Val di NonThe Martyrs of the Val di Nont Vigilius began the evangelization in the IVCentury and the transition to Christianity pro-ceeded slowly for centuries. Three foreigner ..istranieri came to the Val di Non and had lived

there for some time. They had come from Capadocia(now Turkey). They were recruited by Vigilio, the Bishopof Trent and sent to evangelize a land that was stillpagan. They spoke a strange language (probably theGreek), had a skin color different from that of the inhab-itants of the valley. Their names were: Sisinio (the eldest),

Martirio and Alessandro (they were two brothers).Theyhad been assigned to Vigilio by his brother bishop SaintAmbrose, the bishop of Milan. Bishop Virgilius had sentthese “strnaieri” as missionaries to the Val di Non wherethey were able to create a small Christian community.while they would oppose whatever pagan rituals thatwere wide spread in this “pagan” territory.

In the evening of May 28, 397, they interupted a paganritual disturbing and interrupting their spring rite ofAmbarvalia. This ancient Roman rite was conducted tohonor the Roman God, Saturn, the deity of Agriculture

for the purpose of preserving their fields form harmfulthings and to achieve an abundant harvest. These ambar-vali rites were conducted three times proceeding reciting“litanies” through the fields leading a sow, a sheep and abull. These animals were then sacrificed to deities to puri-fy themselves and bless their agriculture. They were mar-tyred by Anauniesi farmers hey were martyred byAnauniesi farmers. The bystanders, not as yet converted,attacked Sisinio with an ax. The mortally wounded mis-sionary was watched all night. The next day the pagansattacked the barracks where there was Martirio andAlessandro. They were massacred burned them at thestake. When Bishop Vigilio learned of the massacre, heimmediately went to the Val di Non and retrieved thecharred bones of the three Christian martyrs. Hebrought them to Trento and built outside the city walls acemetery chapel. In 1212 the original church wasenlarged and became what is now the Cathedral, theDuomo of the city of Trento.

At the end of the fiftheenth century, in Sanzeno, therewas built a large basilica dedicated to the three “foreign”(stranieri) misionaries. The basilica recalls and celebratesthe massacre of the three . It a record of earlyChristianization of the population of the valley.

Written by Alberto Folgheraiter

SS

“The Martyrdom of Sisinnius,” 1525 Bernardino Luini, c. 1481/2 - 1532

Basilica of San Zeno The Duomo of Trento

Romans celebrate the Ambarvalia