Nicolo (De rebus antiquis memorab. basil. S. Petri, in Acta SS. Iunii, VI, 2, p. 70), at the place where the small Bramante chapel near S. P. in Montorio was later built. His thesis was challenged by S. Borgia (Vaticana Confessio, Rome 1776), and by F. L. Dionisi (Cryptarum Vatican. monum. illustr., Rome 1838, p. 192 ff.). The opinion that P. was crucified on the Janiculum was revived by G. B. Lugari (Le lieu du crucifixement de si Pierre, Tours 1898, and Il Gianicolo, luogo della crocifissione di s. P., Rome 1900), but was shown to be untenable by H. Grisar (Le antiche testimonianze sul luogo della crocifissione di s. P., in Civ. Catt., 1905, pp. 719–25) and by O. Marucchi (Il luogo della crocifissione di s. P. nel Vaticano, in N. Bull. arch. crist., 11 [1905], pp. 135–79). In a catalogue of the churches of Rome dating from the time of Gregory X (1272–76), a church dedicated to s. P. appears on the Janiculum; in a later catalogue, known as the Turin catalogue, the church is described as being served by monks of the Order of Pietro de Morrone (Celestine V). In a compilation written by a Vatican canon between 1410 and 1415, the martyrdom of s. P. is located near Castel S. Angelo. As has been seen, the first to conceive the idea that s. P. had been crucified on the Janiculum, near the said church, was the scholar Maffeo Vegio (1406–1457). In 1472 Sixtus IV granted the church and the convent, which had been abandoned, to the Franciscans under the patronage of the Sovereigns of Spain. The Franciscans spread the legend, and the Spanish sovereigns Isabella and Ferdinand had Bramante build the famous round chapel. But scholars, from the sixteenth century onward, demonstrated the complete groundlessness of this legend of the Apostle’s crucifixion on the Janiculum, which was unknown to all the ancient sources.
9. Legend that P. baptized in the cemeteries. - V. MAJUS COEMETERIUM (CIMITERO MAGGIORE); PRISCILLA.
Vedi tavv. XCIV-XCVII e tavv. A-D. Enrico Josi