TITLES OF THE ROMAN CHURCH. – This term is now used to designate the churches of Rome which are headed by a cardinal of the Order of Priests.
I. ORIGINS
The *Liber Pontificalis* speaks of the titles from the earliest antiquity: Cletus, by order of St. Peter, is said to have ordained 25 Roman priests (Lib. Pont., I, p. 122), Evaristus is said to have distributed the priests among the titles (ibid., p. 126). Urban is said to have replaced glass patens with 25 silver ones (p. 143), and Marcellus is said to have ordained 25 priests in Rome (p. 164). In addition to this, various popes and figures of the 4th century are credited with the foundation of several titles: Lucina founded the title of Marcellus (p. 164), Pope Sylvester that of Equitius (p. 170), Marcus the basilica *iuxta Pallacinas* (p. 202), Julius St. Mary in Trastevere (p. 205), and Damasus St. Lawrence in Damasus (p. 212); at the beginning of the 5th century Innocent I founded the title of Vestina (p. 220). According to G. P. Kirsch, the titles were the earliest Christian sacred buildings in Rome, consisting of private houses in which the Roman priests resided, with a large hall for liturgical gatherings; some date back to the 3rd century, some to the 4th, and a few to the early 5th century; the number 25 remained for several centuries. According to the same author, the name of the owner would have been written (*titulus*) on the façade. However, this hypothesis finds no confirmation in any of the houses discovered at Ostia or Pompeii. Outside Rome, the term "title" is unknown; at Carthage, the clergy is designated according to regions: “archdeacon of the church of Carthage, region six; deacon of region five; lector of region four or five”; even the basilicas have a regional designation, the Councils of 403 and 410 were held “in region two”; in region three there was a basilica dedicated to St. Peter, while in region six there was one dedicated to St. Paul. It is therefore reasonable to think that the same system existed in Rome, where a “lector de Pallacine” is attested in the year 348 (G. B. De Rossi, *Inscr. christ.*, I, Rome 1857–61, p. 62, no. 97). Around the mid-4th century, a “lector de Follonices” is mentioned (J. Wilpert, in *Beiträge zur Christlich. Archäologie in Römische Quartalschr.*, 22 [1908], pp. 162–63, tav. 2). A “lector de Pudentiana” died in 384 (E. Diehl, *Inscr. christ. lat. veteres*, no. 1270). Furthermore, the oldest inscriptions of priests in Rome only bear the indication of their dignity and not of the title (G. B. De Rossi, *Roma sotterr.*, I, Rome 1864, tavv. 19, 5; 21, 6; E. Josi, *Note sul cimitero di Pretestato*, in *Riv. arch. crist.*, 13 [1936], p. 8, fig. 1; p. 9, fig. 2; pp. 10, 11, figg. 4–5; p. 12, fig. 7; p. 13, figg. 8–9; p. 14, fig. 10). St. Athanasius, speaking of a Roman Council in 341, says that more than 50 bishops gathered in the house of the priest Vito (Apologia contra Arianos, 20: PG 25, 281).It is certain that the cemeteries depended on the titles, just as the titles themselves depended on the churches, as demonstrated by G. B. De Rossi (cf. *Bullettino di archeologia cristiana*, 1867, p. 105). The titles were private houses adapted for liturgical use, as shown by the excavations under SS. John and Paul, SS. Sylvester and Martin at the Monti; St. Lawrence in Lucina, St. Cecilia, in part under St. Sabina, and to a lesser extent under St. Anastasia; beneath the present St. Praxedes, recent remains of public monuments have been found, under St. Pudentiana a thermal building, and under St. Prisca a Mithraeum. Duchesne’s statement of 1887 remains valid: “No document has been preserved that allows us to determine with certainty where the Christian buildings within the walls of the city of Rome were located before Constantine” (*Les titres presbiteraux et les diaconies*, in *Mélanges d'arch. et d'hist.*, 7 [1887], p. 217). Hilary (461–68) had sacred vessels made for each title (Lib. Pont., I, p. 249). Simplicius (468–83) assigned the titular priests to serve in the ciborium of the cemeterial basilicas of St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. Lawrence, and for the care of penitents and baptism; specifically, the priests of regio III were assigned to St. Lawrence, those of regio I to St. Paul, and those of regio VI or VII to St. Peter (ibid., I, p. 249).
TITLES OF THE ROMAN CHURCH. – Ground plan of the house of the title of Equitius – Rome.
II. Development
The first secure list of Roman *tituli* is found in the Roman Council of 1 March 499 under Pope Symmachus. In the minutes, after the names of the bishops present, the Roman priests signed, with an indication of the *titulus* to which they belonged: there are 29 denominations of *tituli*; if the *titulus* of Bizante and that of Pammachius are one and the same, if the *titulus* of Romanus is an error for that of Marcellus, and if the last Laurentius should be united either with the *titulus* of Damasus or with that of Lucina, one would arrive at 26 (*MGH, Auct. antiquiss.*, XII, pp. 410 ff.). An inscription from the cemetery of St Pancras dating to 521–22 shows that in the *titulus* of St Chrysogonus four priests of the *titulus* are hierarchically indicated as *prior*, *secundus*, *tertius*, and *quartus* (*G. B. De Rossi, Inscr., cit.*, I, no. 975). At the Synod of 595 there were 24 *tituli*, all with the denomination of a saint; those of Bizante, Aemiliana, Crescentiana, Gaius, Matthew, Pammachius, Tigris, Romanus, and Fasciola are missing; in their place are the *tituli* of SS. John and Paul, St Susanna, St Sixtus, St Balbina, SS. Nereus and Achilleus, SS. Marcellinus and Peter, and SS. Four Crowned Martyrs (*MGH, Epistolae*, I, pp. 366–67). Under Adrian I (772–95) there were 22 *tituli*, as attested by the 440 *vela* donated by the Pope, 20 for each *titulus* (*Lib. Pont.*, I, p. 504). In the list of churches to which gifts were offered by Pope Leo III around 806, there are 23 *tituli*, among which one may note the *ecclesia Gentiricis Dei in titulo Callisti*, the “titulus beati Petri qui appellatur Eudoxiae,” the “basilica Apostolorum quae ponitur in Via Lata,” the *titulus* “Marci... appellatur in Via Lata”; there is also the *titulus* “Aemilianae” (instead of SS. III Coronati) and the *titulus* Pammachi (instead of SS. John and Paul); the *titulus* of SS. Nereus and Achilleus is instead a diaconia, and the *titulus* of Prisca is called “Aquilae et Priscae.”The catalogue of P. Mallius made under Alexander III (1159–81) gives 28 *tituli*, 7 for each of the 4 patriarchal basilicas and 7 for the city churches (*Lib. Pont.*, I, p. 496).
*Pariscae*: mentioned in an inscription of 489; in the Synods of 499 and 595; in the life of Adrian I; in that of Leo III it is the *titulus* “Aquilae et Priscae”; it returns as *titulus* *Priscae* in the catalogues of P. Mallius and of 1492; among its titulars were Benedict XII and Pius IV. SS. IV *Coronatorum*, V. *Aemilianae*. Romanus: only in the Synod of 499. Duchesne considered it a copyist’s error for “Romanus tit. Marcelli.” *Sabinae* (Synod of 499): *S. Sabinae* in that of 595; *B. Sabinae* in the biography of Leo III; *S. Sabina* in the catalogues of P. Mallius and of 1492; among its titulars were Eugenius II, Bl. Benedict XI, Pius II, and St Pius V. S. Sistii, V. *Crescentianae*. *Tigridae*: only in the Synod of 499. Kirsch doubts whether it should be identified with the *titulus* *S. Syxii* or with the *titulus* *S. Balbinae* of the Synod of 595 (*Die römischen Titelkirchen*, cit., pp. 94, 129). *Vestianae*: from the name of the matron who founded it under Innocent I (*Lib. Pont.*, I, p. 220); thus in the Synod of 499; it is *S. Vitalis* in the Synod of 595; *B. Vitalis* in the biography of Leo III; in the catalogues of P. Mallius and of 1492; among its titulars was Julius III; suppressed by Pope Clement VIII in 1596, it was restored by Leo XIII on 16 Dec. 1880 under the name SS. Vitale, Gervasius, and Protasius in Vestina. More recent are the *tituli*:
S. Stephen I in *Coelo Monte*: in the biography of Gelasius II (1118–19) appears: “Saxo de Anagnia sancti Stephani in Celio monte” (*Lib. Pont.*, II, p. 312). Among its titulars was Pius IV. S. Crucis in Hierusalem: under Gelasius II (1118–19) appears an “Amicus cardinalis Sanctae Crucis” (*Lib. Pont.*, II, p. 312); under Innocent II a Jerhardus (ibid., p. 380), later Lucius II (ibid., p. 385); it is found in the catalogues of P. Mallius and of 1492. Among its titulars were also Innocent VII, Marcellus II, and Benedict XIV. SS. Quirici et Julitae: founded by Sixtus IV; among its titulars were Leo XI and Innocent XIII.
From Leo X on 6 July 1517 the following *tituli* were created:
S. *Agnensis* in *Agone*: suppressed by Innocent X on 5 Oct. 1654 and transferred to S. Agnes outside the walls. S. Bartholomei in *Insula* or *Inter Pontes*. S. Apollinaris: suppressed by Sixtus V in 1587, became a diaconia, then a *titulus* in 1946 *pro hac vice*. S. Caesari in *Palatio*: suppressed by Sixtus V in 1587, a diaconia from 1600. S. Johannis ante Portam Latinam. S. Laurentii in *Panisperna*: titular Clement XIV. S. Mariae in *Capitolio* or *Dr. Arcocelli*: suppressed by Clement VII on 17 Apr. 1527, restored by Julius III on 4 Dec. 1551. Among its titulars was Clement XIII. S. Pancratio: on 28 Feb. 1550 it was united by Julius III with the *titulus* of S. Clement under the name of SS. Clement and Pancras, but it was separated by the same Pope on 4 Dec. 1551. Among its titulars were Paul IV, Clement VIII, and Innocent XII. S. Silvestri in *Capite*. S. Thomae in *Parione*: Pope Pius XI with the apostolic constitution *Quam* S. Thomae in *Parione* suppressed the *titulus* and transferred it to S. Maria in *Vallicella* (*AAS*, 30 [1938], p. 191).
The following *tituli* were created by Julius III on 4 Dec. 1551: S. Barbarae: suppressed by Sixtus V on 20 Apr. 1587. S. Maria in *Via*. S. Simonis: among its titulars was Sixtus V, who suppressed it on 20 Apr. 1587.
S. Maria super Minervam: founded by Paul IV on 24 Mar. 1557. Among its titulars was St Pius V. S. Maria Angelorum: elevated to a *titulus* by Pius IV on 18 May 1565.
On 16 Feb. 1566 St Pius V instituted the following *tituli*:
S. *Euphemia*: suppressed by Sixtus V on 20 Apr. 1587. S. Hieronymi de Illirici: among its titulars was Sixtus V. S. Triphonis: suppressed by Sixtus V on 20 Apr. 1587.
On 20 Apr. 1587 Sixtus V elevated to *tituli*:
S. Augustini: suppressing that of S. Trifone. S. Blasi de Anulo, suppressed by Paul V on 17 Oct. 1616 and transferred to SS. Biagio and Carlo ai Catinari. SS. Bonifacii et Alexii in *Aventino*. S. Maria a Populo: among its titulars was Alexander VII. S. Maria a Pace. S. Maria in *Trasportina*: among its titulars were Gregory XV and Pius VIII. S. Onuphri: among its titulars were Urban VIII, Innocent XI, and Pius VI. S. Petri in *Montorio*: among its titulars was Urban VIII. S. Salvatoris in *Lauro*: among its titulars was Alexander VIII. It was suppressed on 19 May 1670 by Clement X, who transferred it to S. Bernardo alle Terme. S. Maria Trinitatis in *Monte Pincio*. Later the following *tituli* were founded:
SS. Biagio e Carlo ai Catinari: founded by Paul V on 17 Oct. 1616, transferred by Urban VIII on 16 Aug. 1627. SS. Ambrogio e Carlo al Corso: suppressed by the same on 24 Aug. 1639. S. Agnese extra Muros: created by Innocent X on 5 Oct. 1654, after the suppression of S. Agnese in *Agone*. S. Bernardo alle Terme: founded by Clement X on 19 May 1670, after the suppression of S. Salvatore in *Lauro*. S. Maria della Vittoria: founded by Pius VII in Dec. 1801. SS. Andreas et Gregorius in *Celio*: founded by Gregory XVI on 1 July 1839, who transferred to it the *titulus* of S. Eusebio. S. Maria Nova: created by Pope Leo XIII on 17 Mar. 1887. S. Maria in *Cosmedin*: a diaconia elevated in 1935 *pro hac vice* to a presbyterial *titulus*; S. Maria in *Vallicella*: created by Pius XI (apostolic constitution *Quam s. Thomae in Parione* of 8 Dec. 1937, after the suppression of the *titulus* of S. Thomas in *Parione*; *AAS*, 30 [1938], p. 191). At the Consistory of 18 Feb. 1946 the diaconia of S. Maria in *Porticu* was elevated *pro hac vice* to a *titulus*.
At the Consistory of 17 Jan. 1953 the following diaconiae were elevated *pro hac vice* to *tituli*: S. Agata dei Gotti; S. Angelo in *Pescheria*; SS. Cosma e Damiano; S. Maria della Scala; S. Maria in *Aquino*; S. Maria in *Via Latina*. See plate XVI.