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Sanctuary of St Victoria in Monteleone Sabino: the Romanesque shrine with hypogeum spaces
The Sanctuary of Santa Vittoria, situated on the slopes of Colle Foro, part of the ancient Trebula Mutuesca, is one of the most significant Romanesque sites in the Sabina region. It was built on the spot where the young Roman noblewoman was martyred in the mid-3rd century during the Decian persecutions. The first archival record dates back to 817 AD, when Pope Stephen IV confirmed its belonging to Farfa Abbey. The current structure is the result of an 11th-12th century reconstruction and 15th-century restorations by the Orsini family.
The legend of the dragon
According to a 5th-century Passio, Victoria drove away a dragon that had been terrorising the community, duly converting the inhabitants to Christianity. The dragon is often interpreted as a symbol of local paganism, possibly the cult of the goddess Angitia, who was depicted with serpents. After refusing to worship Diana, the young woman was stabbed to death. According to tradition, her relics were moved, and later distributed in several locations, including Subiaco and Bagnoregio.
The interior and catacombs
The church consists of three naves, a bell tower with mullioned windows, and a façade crafted from marble and spolia (reused ancient stone). The central nave houses a devotional water well, while the presbytery contains a ciborium supported by marble columns. An entrance in the right nave leads down to the catacombs, containing rock-cut tombs, a strigilated sarcophagus, and an arcosolium featuring a fresco of the martyr. Two epigraphs by Bishop Dodone commemorate the church's consecrations.
