Fabiola
by Nicholas Patrick Stephen Wisemanliterary work· published 1854
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Fabiola or, the Church of the Catacombs is a novel by the English Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman. It was first published in 1854. The novel has been adapted to film three times. The story is set in the early 4th century AD, Rome, during the time of the persecution of Christians under the Roman emperor Diocletian. The heroine of the book is Fabiola, a young beauty from a noble Roman family. She is spoiled by her father Fabius, who cannot deny her anything. Fabiola seems to have everything, including a superior education in the philosophers, yet under the surface, she is not content with her life. One day, in a fit of rage, she attacks and wounds her slave girl Syra, who is a secret Christian.
Adaptations (3)
Fabiola has been adapted into 3 films, from 1911 to 1949.
St. Sebastian1911 · film · 9 min · dir. Enrique Santos · IMDb ↗IMDb4.7From a window in Fabiola's house, Sebastian watches the Christians being taken to their cells, and as he listens to the shrieks and curses of the multitude his heart is stirred with pity. Later Sebastian is denounced to the Emperor as a Christian, and he is condemned to die by the swords of the Numidian guards. The news is brought to Fabiola, who sends one of her slaves to the chief of the Numidians. Heis brought to her house, and rich bribes are offered to him not to fulfil the Emperor's command. Sebastian is taken to the place of execution, and the chief commands his followers to shoot with their arrows, but not to kill. Dangerously wounded, Sebastian is carried to Fabiola's house, where she tenderly nurses him back to health. But Sebastian, partially recovered, sets out to meet the Emperor, and reproaches him for his cruelty towards the Christians.
Fabiola1918 · film · 110 min · dir. Enrico Guazzoni · IMDb ↗IMDb5.4In "Fabiola" (1918) Herr Guarzzoni moved from the earliest days of Christianity when the new faith was struggling to just survive to a later period in the Roman Empire when the religion was a major force and attempting to win over Rome.
Fabiola1949 · film · 96 min · dir. Alessandro Blasetti · IMDb ↗IMDb6.6In ancient Rome a love story blossoms between Fabiola, daughter of a senator, and Rhual, a Gallic gladiator. After Fabiola's father is killed, the Romans blame the Christians and the persecution begins. Rhual confesses to being a Christian, is accused of the murder and sentenced to fight to the death in the arena.
