SAINT

South Transept Spire-G67

Studies are currently underway to precisely identify this statue, whose attribution is still being ascertained today. Studies lead to associate the statue with the figure of San Pancrazio (St. Pancras), a young saint who lived in 3rd century AD and suffered martyrdom as an adolescent, perhaps at the age of 14 or 15 years. The Roman Martyrology reports: “San Pancrazio, martyr, who is supposed to have died in Rome as an adolescent for his faith in Christ, at the second mile of via Aurelia. On his sepulchre, Pope Symmachus built a famous basilica and Pope Gregory the Great often summoned people to the site to receive the testimony of genuine Christian love “. The statue was made in 1811 by Sculptor Antonio Rusca, who was already producing other works at the Duomo’s marble workers’ site. This Neoclassical statue portrays a semi-nude youth with flowing curly hair. Partly covered by a drape that falls from his right shoulder, he seems to be taking one step forward. The right hand is lifted in the act of holding an object that is not present anymore. The sculpture’s style denotes that sculptors who worked at the Duomo’s marble workers’ site at the time were influenced by Italian historical and artistic events, particularly by Neoclassical thought. A terracotta scale model of this statue is displayed at the Museo del Duomo.