San Giovanni Profiamma

History

The Roman town of Forum Flaminii, corresponding with modern San Giovanni Profiamma, was founded by Roman censor Gaius Flaminius in 220 BCE during the construction of the Roman consular road. The town is attested as a bishopric since the third century and believed to have been destroyed in 740 by the invading Lombards under King Liutprand, and subsequently incorporated into Foligno. It remains unknown how much of the relatively old vita of the legendary first bishop and patron saint Felician of Foligno is historically accurate. Only two bishops were historically documented : * Bonifatius, attending the council held by Pope Symmachus in 501 or 502[3], which forbade alienating church property; Bonifacio signed the acts in 51º position, between bishops Venerioso of Spello and Sebastiano of Sora. * Decentius took part in the Roman council of 680, held by Pope Agatho to condemn Monothelitism as heresy, signing between a bishops Floro of Foligno and Giovanni of Norcia. From a papal bulla by Pope Innocent II in 1138, on the jurisdiction of the (heir) bishops of Foligno, citing plebs S. Joannis de Foroflamini cum ecclesiis suis, Sbaraglia deduces Forum Flaminii's Ancient cathedral would have been dedicated to Saint John.