Savina of Milan

About Savina of Milan

Savina is venerated at Milan and Lodi as a Christian matron associated with the martyrs Nabor and Felix. The Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio’s itinerary presents her story through the medieval Liber notitiae sanctorum Mediolani: a noblewoman of Lodi who cared for their remains and brought them to Milan.

The historical basis of that ancient biography has been disputed. In a 1960 scholarly review, Alessandro Caretta endorsed Paolo Borella’s critique of Savina’s legend. He described her name as a later addition to the account of an unnamed woman who transported the martyrs’ bodies. He also warned that some older church dedications attributed to this matron belonged instead to the Roman martyr Sabina.

The Basilica itinerary dates her appearance in the Ambrosian liturgy to the thirteenth century.

Italy’s cultural heritage catalog records the old martyrs’ sarcophagus being brought to Sant’Ambrogio in 1798 and placed in the chapel of Savina. The monument became part of the setting in which her memory was preserved.

The Diocese of Lodi’s published schedule for 30 January 2018 records the bishop celebrating Mass in her liturgical memory. Her local commemoration thus continues on 30 January.