One of the things I love about my writing work is getting to do research in ancient documents and scholarly articles. As I write the introduction to my Vol. 3 “Lucca to Rome” guidebook, I’ve been digging into the historical roots of this fascinating pilgrimage itinerary.

The manuscripts above come from an 11th c scribe who copied a text recording overnights on the 990 walk of Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury from Rome to the English Channel. They also record the churches he visited in Rome, providing a rare list of what would interest an Anglo-Saxon prelate from among Rome’s many churches. Both lists are a fascinating and unique window into the world of pilgrimage from 1000 years ago.

Here’s the transliterated text of the above manuscript along with a translation below. All are thanks to Veronica Ortenberg and can be found in her article “Archbishop Sigeric’s journey to Rome in 990.”

Transliterated text:

Primitus ad limitem bead Petri apostoli, deinde ad sanctam Mariam scolam Anglorum, ad sanctum Laurentium in craticula, ad sanctum Valentinum in ponte Molui, ad sanctum [sic] Agnes, ad sanctum Laurentium foris murum, ad sanctum Sebastianum, ad sanctum Anastasium, ad sanctum Paulum, ad sanctum Bonefatium, ad sanctum [sic] Savinam, ad sanctam Mariam scolam grecam, ad sanctam Ceciliam, ad sanctum Crisogonum, ad sanctam Mariam transtyberi, ad sanctum Pancratium, deinde reversi sunt in domum. Mane ad sanctam Mariam rotundam, ad sanctos Apostolos, ad sanctus Iohannes [sic] in
Laterane; inde refecimus cum domini [sic] apostolico Iohanne, deinde ad Ierusalem, ad sanctam Mariam maiorem, ad sanctum Petrum ad uincula, ad sanctum Laurentium ubi corpus eius assatus [sic] fuit.

Iste sunt submansiones de Roma usque ad mare: I, urbs Roma; II, Iohannis VIIII; III, Bacane; IIII, Suteria; V, Furcari; VI, sancte Valentine; VII, sancte Flauiane; VIII, sancta Cristina; IX, aqua pendente; X, sancte Petir in pail; XI, Abricula; XII, sancte Quiric; XIII, Turreiner; XIIII, Arbia; XV, Seocine; XVI, Burgenove; XVII, ./Else; XVIII, sancte Martin in fosse; XIX, sancte Gemiane; XX, sancte Maria glan; XXI, sancte Petre currant; XXII, sancte Dionisii; XXIII, Arneblanca; XXIIII, Aqua nigra; XXV, Forcri; XXVI, Luca; XXVII, Campmaior; XXVIII, Luna; XXIX, sancte Stephane; XXX, Aguilla; XXXI, Puntremel; XXXII, sancte Benedicte; XXXIII, sancte Modesanne; XXXIIII, Philemangenur; XXXV, Mezane; XXXVI, sanctae domnine; XXXVII, Floricun; XXXVIII, Placentia; XXXIX, sancte Andrea; XL, sancte Cristine; XLI, Pamphica; XLII, Tremel; XLIII, Uercel; XLIIII, sancte Agath; XLV, Eueri; XLVI, Publei; XLVII, Agusta; XLVIII, Sancte remei; XiJX, Petrescastel; L, Ursiores; LI, sancte Maurici; LII, Burbulei; LIII, Uiuaec; LIIII, Losanna; LV, Urba; LVI, Antifern; LVII,Punterlin; LVIII, Nos; LIX, Bysiceon; LX Cuscei; LXI, Sefui; LXII, Grenant; LXIII, Oisma; LXIIII, Blsecuile; LXV, Bar; LXVI, Breone; LXVII, Domaniant; LXVIII, Funtaine; LXVIIII, Cadeluns; LXX, Rems; LXXI, Corbunei; LXXII, Mundloduin; LXXIII, Martinwzd; LXXIIII, Duin; LXXV, A6erats; LXXVI, Bruwsei; LXXVII, Teranburh; LXXVIII, Gisne; LXXX, Sumeran.

And here is Ortenberg’s translation:

First in the light of blessed St Peter, apostle (St Peter’s Basilica); to Santa Maria at the Angolorum School (now Santo Spirito in Sassia); to San Lorenzo in Lucina; to San Valentino near Ponte Milvio; to San Lorenzo Outside the Walls; to San Sebastiano; to San Anastasio; to San Paolo (outside the walls); to San Bonifazio; to Santa Sabina; to Santa Maria at the Greek School; to Santa Cecilia; to San Crisogono; to Santa Maria Trastevere; to San Pancrazio; to Santa Maria Rotunda (Pantheon); to the Holy Apostles; to San Giovanni in Laterano; to Jerusalem (Santa Croce in Gerusalemme); to Santa Maria Maggiore; to Saint Peter in Vincoli; to San Lorenzo in Panisperna.

These are the submansions (stages or stations) from Rome to the Sea: I. City of Rome, II. San Giovanni in Nono (La Storta); III. Bacccano; IV. Sutri; V. Santa Maria de Forcassi; VI. San Valentino (Viterbo); VII. San Flavianus (Montefiascone); VIII. Santa Cristina (Bolsena); IX. Acquapendente; X. San Pietro on Paglia (near Radicofani); XI. Abricula (Briccole); XII. San Quirico (d’orcin); XIII. Torrenieri; XIV. Arbia (Ponte d’Arbia?); XV. Siena; XVI. Burgo Nuovo d’Isola; XVII. River Elsa (near Colle Val d’Elsa); XVIII. San Martino Fosci (near Monteriggioni); XIX. San Gimignano; XX. Santa Maria, Chianni; XXI. San Pietro Corzzano; XXII. San Genesia (San Miniato); XXIII. Arneblanca (near Fucecchio); XXIV. Aqua Nigra (near Cappannori); XXV. Porcari; XXVI. Lucca; XXVII. Camaiore; XXVIII. Luni; XXIX. San Stefano di Magra (Sarzana?); XXX. Aulla; XXXI. Pontremoli; XXXII. San Benedetto (Montelungo); XXXIII. San Moderannus (Berceto); XXXIV. Fornovo di Taro or Felegata; XXXV. Medesano; XXXVI. San Donnino (Fidenza); XXXVII. Fiorenzuola d’Arda; XXXVIII. Piacenza; XXXIX. Corte San Andrea; XL. Santa Cristina; XLI. Pavia; XLII. Tromello; XLIII. Vercelli; XLIV. Santhiá; XLV. Ivrea; XLVI. Publei (?); XLVII. Aosta; XLVIII. Saint-Remy; XLIX. Bourg-Saint-Pierre; L. Orsiéres; LI. Saint-Maurice; LII. Vervey or Vouvry; LIII. Vevey; LIV. Lausanne; LV. Orbe; LVI. Antifern (?); LVII. Pontarlier; LVIII. Nods; LVIX. Besançon; LX. Cussey; LXI. Seveux; LXII. Grenant; LXIII. St Geosmes; LXIV. Blessonville; LXV. Bar (Bar-sur-Aube)”; LXVI. Brienne; LXVII. Donnement; LVIII. Fontaine; LIX. Châlons sur Marne; LXX. Rheims; LXXI. Corbény; LXXII. Laon; LXIII. Martinwaeth (?); LXXIV. Doingt; LXXV. Arras; LXXVI. Bruay-en-Artois; LXXVII. Thérouanne; LXXVIII. Guisnes; LXXX, Sombre, near Wissant.