What is known of Saint Macrobio is very few. He is often associated with San Giuliano, however, based on historical sources, we understand that the two actually did not even know each other, and they even lived in different places. In fact, Macrobio was a resident of Cappadocia, that was captured and, along with a group of other Christians, deported to Tomi, where he was martorized (Costanza in Scizia) under the emperor Licinio, co-regent in the west from 308 to 313 A.D. Giuliano was, instead, a native of Galicia. He initially escaped persecution by hiding in some mountain caves but he suffered martyrdom when his hiding place was discovered. The Roman Martyrology remembers Saint Macrobio the 15^th of September (previously the 13^th).

The tales of the statue in Dome’s Building Site

The statue of San Macrobio on Spire G4 is a reproduction most likely of the 1900s. However, we know that the scale model of the original statue was conceived in the 1800s by sculptor Grazioso Rusca, who died before making it. Hence, the task of producing it was inherited by his son Gerolamo Rusca, a sculptor himself, who completed it in 1829. The statue represents Saint Macrobio of Cappadocia. According to some documents of the Archive, it seems that San Macrobio had to be initially placed on one of the four Spires of the Dome. Today they are occupied by the figures of saints and soldiers instead.