Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Porto-Santa Rufina - Early Christian History of Rufina

Early Christian History of Rufina

Santa Rufina grew up around the basilica of the Holy Martyrs Sts. Rufina and Secunda on the Via Aurelia, fourteen miles (21 km) from Rome; the basilica is said to have been begun by Pope Julius I, and was finished by Saint Damasus. In the 9th century this town was destroyed by the Saracens, and the efforts of Pope Leo IV and Pope Sergius III were unable to save it from total ruin: all that remains are the remnants of the ancient basilica and a chapel.

The first notice of it as an episcopal see dates from the 5th century, when its bishop Adeodatus was present at the councils held by Pope Symmachus; its bishop St. Valentinus, Vicar of Rome during the absence of Pope Vigilius, had his hands cut off by Totila. Among its other bishops mention should be made of

• Tiberius (594)
• Ursus (680)
• Nicetas (710)
• Hildebrand (906)
• Peter (1026), whose jurisdiction over the Leonine City, the Trastevere, and the Insula Tiberina (island in the Tiber) was confirmed.

The residence of the bishops of Silva Candida was on the Insula Tiberina beside the church of Sts. Adalbert and Paulinus, while that of the bishops of Porto was on the same island near the church of San Giovanni. The bishops of Silva Candida, moreover, enjoyed great prerogatives in relation with the ceremonies of the basilica of St. Peter.

The most famous of these prelates was Cardinal Humbertus (1050–1061), who accompanied Leo IX from Burgundy to Rome; he was appointed Bishop of Sicily by that pope, but, having been prevented by the Normans from landing on the island, he received the See of Silva Candida, and later was sent to Constantinople to settle the controversies aroused by Michael Cærularius. He wrote against the errors of the Greeks and against Berengarius (1051–63).

The last legitimate Bishop was Mainardo of Pomposa (1061–1073). During the schism of antipope Clement III there was a pseudocardinal-bishop Adalbert (1084–1102), later antipope Adalbert (1102).

Historically, the Bishop of Porto became the second cardinal, the Bishop of Ostia being the first, and officiated on Mondays in the Lateran Basilica; he obtained, moreover, the other rights of the Bishop of Santa Rufina, but lost jurisdiction over the Leonine City and its environs, when they were united to the city of Rome.