A pious legend, of no historical value, tells that Paride, an Athenian, having taken refuge in Rome at the time of the persecutions, was consecrated bishop of Teano by Pope Saint Sylvester, not without first having earned great merit among the inhabitants of the city: in fact, he miraculously tamed an enormous and terrible dragon, which was continually causing harm to the population. It was Baronius who introduced the name “Paride” into the Roman Martyrology, following communications from the Church of Teano. Paride is considered the first apostle and the main patron of the Campanian city, where he died in 346. His body, preserved in the cathedral, has received an immemorial cult; also according to the historian Michele Monaco, the veneration of Paris spread elsewhere, such as Capua. His memory is celebrated on August 5.

The tales of the statue in Dome’s building site:

Currently, there is not much information about the history of the statue inside the Dome’s construction site. We only know that it is a reproduction, as the original was mutilated, and is now missing its legs and forearms, on display inside the Dome Museum in Milan. There is a strong probability that it was subjected to bombing during the Second World War.