The Presbyters Project

Presbyter hic voluit Sisinnius ponere membra

omnibus acceptus populis dignusque sacerdos,

qui sciret sanctae servare foedera matris

blandus amore dei, semper qui vivere nosset

contentusque suo nesciret divitis aulam.

(ed. Diehl 1961: 222)

Presbyter Sisinnius wanted to put his limbs here.

He was liked by all the people, he was a worthy priest.

He knew how to keep the alliance of the holy mother.

The love of God made him charming, he always knew how to live.

He was happy with what he had, he did not seek the halls of the rich.

(trans. S. Adamiak)

Discussion:

The poem came to us only in manuscript form. It was transmitted among the inscriptions from the Via Latina and the Via Appia. Its style follows the epigrams of Pope Damasus, which gives the date of the death of the pope in AD 384 as the terminus post quem of the poem.

Place of event:

Region

Rome

City

Rome

About the source:

Origin: Rome (Rome)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Edition:

Inscriptiones Christianae Urbis Romae, Nova Series, 6, 15839.

E. Diehl (ed.), Inscriptiones Latinae Christianae Veteres, vol. 1, ed. 2., Berlin 1961, no. 1134.

Bibliography:

J. Rüpke, Fasti sacerdotum: a prosopography of pagan, Jewish, and Christian religious officials in the city of Rome, 300 BC to AD 499, Oxford 2008, no. 3108, Sissinus, p. 898.

Categories:

Burial/Funerary inscription

PR970.

Functions within the Church - Urban presbyter

PR970.

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

PR970.

Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς

PR970.

Economic status and activity - Indication of wealth

PR970.

Economic status and activity - Indication of poverty

PR970.

Reverenced by

PR970.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: S. Adamiak, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER2123, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=2123