E01313: The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of *Simplicius (bishop of Rome, ob. 483, S00729) tells how he dedicated churches in and around Rome to *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), *Andrew (the Apostle, S00288), and *Bibiana (martyr of Rome under the emperor Julian, S00728); made arrangements concerning clergy in the churches of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), *Paul (the Apostle, S00008), and *Laurence (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00037); and made gifts to St Peter's basilica; it closes with a record of his burial in St Peter's basilica on 2 March [AD 483].

Liber Pontificalis 49

First edition (as reconstructed by Duchesne)

Simplicius, natione Tyburtinus, ex patre Castorio sedit ann. XV m. I d. VII. Hic constituit ad sanctum Petrum et ad sanctum Paulum et ad sanctum Laurentium ebdomadas, ut presbyteri manerent propter baptismum et penitentiam penitentibus: de regione tertia ad sanctum Laurentium, de regione prima ad sanctum Paulum, de regione VII ad sanctum Petrum.

'Simplicus, born in Tibur, son of Castinus, held the see 15 years 1 month 7 days. He fixed the weekly turns at St Peter’s, St Paul’s, and St Laurence’s, so that priests should remain there for baptism and penitence of the penitents —from region III at St Laurence’s, region I at St Paul’s, regions VII at St Peter’s.'

...

Sepultus est ad beatum Petrum VI non. mart.

'He was buried at the blessed Peter's on 2 March.'



Second edition

Simplicius, natione Tiburtinus, ex patre Castorio sedit ann. XV m. I d. VII. Hic dedicavit basilicam sancti Stephani in Celio monte in urbe Roma, et basilicam beati apostoli Andreae iuxta basilicam sancte Mariae, et aliam basilicam sancti Stephani, iuxta basilicam sancti Laurenti, et aliam basilicam intra urbe Roma, iuxta palatium Licinianum, beate martyris Bibianae, ubi corpus eius requiescit. Hic constituit ad sanctum Petrum apostolum et ad sanctum Paulum apostolum et ad sanctum Laurentium martyrem ebdomadas, ut presbyteri manerent propter penitentes et baptismum regionem III ad sanctum Laurentium, regionem primam ad sanctum Paulum, regionem VI vel septima ad sanctum Petrum.

'Simplicus, born in Tibur, son of Castinus, held the see 15 years 1 month 7 days. He dedicated the basilica of saint Stephen on the Caelian Hill in Rome; and the basilica of saint Andrew the apostle close to the basilica of saint Mary; and another basilica of saint Stephen close to the basilica of saint Laurence; and within limits of Rome close to the Licinian palace another basilica, of saint Bibiana the martyr, where her body rests. He fixed the weekly turns at saint Peter the Apostle’s, saint Paul the Apostle’s, and saint Laurence the martyr’s, so that priests should remain there for penitents and for baptism—from region III at saint Laurence’s, region I at saint Paul’s, regions VI and VII at saint Peter’s.'

...

Hic fecit in ecclesia Romana scyphum aureum, pens. lib. V; canthara argentea ad beatum Petrum XVI, pens. sing. lib. XII.

'In the Roman church he provided a gold scyphus weighing 5 lb; 16 silver chandeliers at the blessed Peter’s each weighing 12 lb.'

...

Hic sepultus est in basilica beati Petri apostoli. VI non. martias.

'He was buried in the basilica of the blessed Peter on 2 March.'


Text: Duchesne 1886, 93 and 249. Translation: Davis 2010, 40, lightly modified.