DEPOSITIO MARTYRUM. -
Like the preceding document,
it is included in the so-called Chronographer of the year 354 (v.). It comprises a list of the depositions of martyrs, with the date, the name, and the place of deposition or the place where the liturgical station was celebrated.
It begins with 25 Dec. («Natus Christus in Bethlehem Iudeae»). The feast of the «Cathedra Petri» (22 Feb.) is not followed by a topographical indication. With the exception of the apostles Pietro and Paolo, all the other martyrs commemorated from Roma, Africa, Albano, and Porto are not earlier than the 3rd century. The earliest African martyrs are Perpetua and Felicita (203); the earliest Roman martyr of certain date is Pope Callisto (223).
The document, which cannot be called official, since there is no evidence for this, is of great importance because of the names of the cemeteries and the related topographical indications, which archaeological discoveries have always proved to be entirely accurate (sepulchral inscriptions of Ponziano, Fabiano, Giacinto—the latter also for the date of deposition—graffiti, other inscriptions, Damasian poems, etc.).