Federica CALABRESE (Ministry of Culture, Italy)
SAN BARBATO DI BENEVENTO, “L’APOSTOLO DEL SANNIO”, UCCISORE DI VIPERE D’ORO ED ESTIRPATORE DI ALBERI SACRI
Keywords: San Barbato, Benevento, Christianity, Lombards.
Abstract: St. Barbato of Benevento, “the Apostle of Sannio”, golden snakes’ killer and holy trees eradicator. This contribution analyzes the events relating to the work of San Barbato di Benevento. Nicknamed “Apostle of Sannio”, he was the protagonist of the Christian conversion of the southern Italian city of which he became the first bishop. We move from the analysis of the Lombard pagan traditions permeated in the territory, from the sacred tree to the golden viper, from magical rituals to the tradition (even contemporary) of the Beneventan witches, to delve deeper and analyze the elements of Christian tradition in Sannio. Through the study of episcopal charters, hagiographic traditions and archival documents, the history of the diocese passes from the late ancient age to the medieval phase, reaching the modern age. The contribution ends with an ‘appendix’ on the Cathedral of Benevento, a place of worship whose foundation has been attributed to Barbato himself.