ST. DOMINA MARTYR

Apse Spire-G72

Domina is undoubtedly a figure that is present in Christian iconography, despite a certain persistent mystery about her actual identity. Domina Victoria could embody the Church, or be considered a general representation of the martyr. It is also true that the word Domina in Latin means “Woman, lady”. And then, perhaps, she is the Santa Donna (Holy Woman) who was made a martyr in Nicomedia, along with Saints Agape, Inde and Teophila? Since there are no further certifications, today it is hard to establish which of these is the most likely solution, but this does not place any doubts on the truthfulness of the documents preserved in the Archive, which provide evidence of the order for a statue of a woman called “Santa Domina Virgo et Martyr”, which corresponds to this work. The statue, made in 1824, was designed by sculptor Donato Carabelli but was sculptured by a specialised marble worker of Veneranda Fabbrica. Today, a faithful reproduction stands on Spire G72 with Santa Domina Martyr portrayed as a young woman attired in simple robes, placing her hands on her chest, one under the other, perhaps in an act of prayer. Long wavy hair falls on her shoulders, while the eyes look straight ahead and slightly upwards to contemplate the sky above. The sculpture originally crowned Spire G105 near the north transept but it was later moved to the apse where it can still be admired in all its beauty today.