At the roots of the Church of Bologna there are two saints,

considered “proto-martyrs” there. Named Vitalis and Agricola, respectively servant and master, they were christian citiziens of Bologna and despite the distinction for social classes, they remained united in the martyr thanks to their faith. Few is known about their life, what is certain is that they sent out a message of equality and solidarity, which would later be publically acknowledged only in the 392 d.C; year in which the bolognese bishop Eusebio announced the finding of their remains in a jew cemetery in the today’s Capital of Emilia Romagna. He gave them a new burial by christian rite, event to which partecipated Sant’Ambrogio. The cult of the two martyr saints diffused itself in the west thanks to Sant’Ambrogio himself, even if the cult kept its main focus in the emilian city, where a church was built to keep their remains, followingly moved in the near chapel.

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

The statue that represents Saint Agricola is a reproduction realized by Ambrogio Consonni, since the original art piece went destroyed following the bombings in the Second World War. The statue is on top of one of the frontal spires of the cathedral. With hands joined in prayer and directed downwards, it welcomes christians that enter in the cathedral, while with his stare it looks towards a distant point in the sky.