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St
Gallicanus
Born - c. late third century
Died - c.317
Feastday - 25 June
Statue
created - c.1670-1673
The statues of Galicanus and
Norbert (140) were the last two placed on the curved sections
of the colonnades.
Sculptor
- Lazzaro Morelli
Morelli was the most prolific of the
artists working for Bernini on the colonnade statues, with
over 45 of the saints attributed to him.
Height
- 3.1 m. (10ft 4in) travertine
Gallicanus is represented
as a Roman soldier. He keeps his left hand on his shield
and brings his right to his chest. This work joins a group of
soldiers; Sts Didymus (32), Dionysus (96), Romanus (99), and
Theodore (138). There is also a stylistic correspondence
with Sts. Peter Celestine (111)
and Francis Xavier (121).
Ovinius Gallicanus is considered the historical personage for
this saint. He was a Roman senator and probably the
first Christian Roman consul. He may be the same
Gallicanus who donated to the cost of the Constantinian
basilica at Ostia. His relics are at Rome in the church of
Sant'Andrea della Valle
Due to
a confusion with the historical record, scholars find unreliable, the story of a
soldier martyr in Alexandria under Julian the Apostate.
Gallicanus was removed from the Roman Martyrology, 2001
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