Fridianus (Frediano), an Irish bishop of Lucca in the first half of the sixth century, had had a church built in Lucca dedicated to St. Vincent, a martyr from Zaragoza, Spain.

When Fridianus was buried in this church, the church was renamed Ss.

Frediano and Vincenzo.

Soon afterwards, a community of Augustinian canons was growing around this church.

In the Longobard era, the church and the canon house had been enlarged.

In 1104, this order had been recognized by Pope Paschal II.

The prior of St. Frediano was later accorded a rank equal in dignity to that of a bishop.

The Romanesque church, known as the Basilica of San Frediano, acquires its present appearance of a typical Roman basilica during the period 1112-1147.