Bishops & Barbarians . . .

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Trentino found itself at the nexus of the forces that would define Europe for the next several hundred years: the growth of Christianity and the waves of Barbarian Invasions. After Romes secular and spiritual authority broke down, both Church and State sought to reestablish order in this fluid and volatile environment. The Tyrol, lying midway between the remnants of Roman and Mediterranean and the new Barbarian Kingdoms had a central role in this drama. During this time, few made as significant an impact as St. Vigilius, the first bishop of Trento. Born a Roman patrician, and an associate and correspondent of early Catholic Fathers St. Ambrose and St. John Chrysostom, Vigilius led efforts to spread Christianity throughout the region as well as establishing the infrastructure of the newly created bishopric. He had a classical education, studying at both Athens and Rome before joining his brothers Claudian Fresco of St. Vigilius, First Bishop of Trento and Magorian in the Trentino in 380 AD. He shepherded other missionaries including Sisinnius, Martyrius and Alexander, who were famously martyred in Sanzeno, Val di Non. Although he honored these missionaries by recovering their remains and sending their relics to Milan and Constantinople, he showed magnanimity to the accused, pardoning them. This was consistent with his apostolic philosophy: vincere soccombendo -- winning by succumbing. Vigilius tried to win converts not through threats or force, but by personal, pacific example. Although the circumstances of his death are disputed, legend holds that he was martyred in the Val Rendena preaching against the worship of the pagan god, Saturn. One of Vigilius associates, St. Romedius, is also a popular figure in Trentino and Church lore. Romedius, often portrayed with a muzzled bear, was a hermit-missionary active in the Val di Non. Once, while setting out to visit Vigilius in Trento, his horse was torn apart by a local bear. Romedius ordered that his cloak be set on the bear, who became immediately tame, allowing Romedius to ride the bear all the way to Trento. Fittingly, the Trentino boasts one of the few bears still living in the wild in the Brenta Dolomite Natural Park! In addition, the shrines in the Val di Non around Romedius hermitage exhibit critical artistic artifacts detailing the transition from the Roman-Byzantine style to the more realistic Romanesque-style characteristic of the Middle Ages throughout the rest of Europe.

Following the fall of Rome, the first Barbarian group to establish authority was the Goths under Theodoric, but they were not able to hold onto power long as they became squeezed between the newly reformed Byzantine Empire around Venice and the expanding Frankish kingdom. The Lombards replaced the Goths and ruled Northeastern Italy for the next two centuries from Lombardy in the West to the Veneto and Friuli in the East. The first Count of Trento, Euin, attempted to maintain the balance by forging alliances and marriages with the Baiuvarii (Bavarians) to the north. However, political arrangements were fluid and the Lombard counts of Trento often found themselves in conflicts. Alahis, another Trentino Count, attempted to created an independent Trentino state, but was unsuccessful. The regional infighting ended with the establishment of the Frankish Kingdom under Charlemagne that created the antecedent of the Holy Roman Empire. However, even in this, the Trentino was a central setting, as the Passo Carlomagno attests -- Charlemagne, on his way to his coronation Burial Artifact from the Lombard Period by the Pope, passed through the Trentino with his retinue. Still, many of the Lombard Tradition believed that a chicken local powers continued as the castellani that can be seen in the many casshould be tied to feet of the deceased tles throughout the province. Christian Brunelli 6