Is Goccius de Santa Barbara Virgini e Martiri Calaritana: transcription of a manuscript in Sardinian-Campidanese from the second half of the 18th century

Abstract

This agile study proposes the transcription of a manuscript document entitled Is Goccius de Santa Barbara Virgini e Martiri Calaritana: transcription of a manuscript in Sardinian- Campidanese in the second half of the 18th century. The verses of the Goccius, or Religious Songs, collected in 14 stanzas, date back to the second half of the 18th century and are kept at the University Library of Cagliari, within a fund that belonged to the noble Aymerich family until 1941. The Goccius recount the legendary life of a local Saint Barbara, born in Cagliari, as distinct from the eastern Saint Barbara, originally from Nicomedia. The biographical story of the Cagliari saint is confused, in some aspects, with that of Saint Barbara of Nicomedia, as if to underline the confusion that has been made in the past between the two Barbaras. The Sardinian saint, also known as santa Barbara scabizzada (beheaded), is celebrated at the end of June in the country church dedicated to her, close to a mountain falling within the territory of the municipality of Capoterra, the only centre in Sardinia where the cult has remained alive and where the tradition and devotion to this western, island and casteddaia (Cagliari) saint still persists.