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St. Malchus
of Syria
Died - c.390
Statue
created c. 1667-1668
Installed between May 1667 and July
1668.
Sculptor
- Giovanni Maria De Rossi
He was paid for eight statues
from August 1667 to November 1668. Attributed to Rossi because
of his elongated structure, and contours of drapery.
Height
- 3.1 m. (10ft 4in) travertine
Along with St Benignus,
this statue is derived from existing statues of Roman
prisoners. These were often represented in pairs like the two
saints placed here.
St Jerome knew St Malchus
personally at Chalcis, in Syria. He had been kidnapped by
Bedouin and sold as a slave. His captor give him a woman to be
his wife, but they lived in continence for seven years before
escaping together. St Malchus then returned as a hermit
to the Syrian Desert.
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Saints on North Colonnade
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Saints on North Colonnade
Below Apostolic Palace
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45. Justin
44, Catherine
43. Agnes
42. Genesius
41. Pontian
40. Columba
39. Mamas
38. Malchus
37.
Benignus
36. Barbara |
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Sources:
Roma Sacra - San Pietro in Vaticano, Itineraries 21-22, ©Fabbrica
of St. Peter's, July 2001
Le Statue Berniniani del Colonnato di San Pietro by Valentino
Martinelli ©1987 by de Luca
Editore
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