Emeterius and Celedonius | |
---|---|
Died | c.300 Calahorra |
Venerated in | Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church |
Feast | August 30 |
Attributes | depicted as two young soldiers |
Patronage | Calahorra; Santander |
Saints Emeterius (or Hemeterius, Madir [1] ) and Celedonius (Spanish : San Emeterio y San Celedonio; Latin : Emeterius et Caeledonius; died c. 300 AD) are venerated as saints by the Catholic Church. Two Roman legionaries (and possibly also brothers), they were martyred for their faith around 300. They are patron saints of Calahorra (La Rioja), which is traditionally regarded as the place of their death.
They are said to have been serving in this city at the end of the third century or at the beginnings of the fourth. According to one legend, they were the sons of the martyr Marcellus the Centurion. [2] It may have been during either the persecutions of Diocletian or of Valerian when they were imprisoned and forced to decide between renouncing the faith or leaving the army.
Their legend states that they were tortured and finally decapitated on the banks of the Cidacos River outside of Calahorra, which became the site of the actual cathedral of the city and explains its strange location beyond the city walls. The heads of these saints are said to have floated to Santander aboard a boat made of stone. A community of monks who lived in that city became custodians of these holy relics.
According to Prudentius, the brothers Emeterius and Celedonius, soldiers of the Legio VII Gemina, were martyred at Calahorra, but the exact date of their martyrdom is unknown. [3]
In the fourth century pilgrims from distant lands came to pray at the tomb of these saints, whose relics are still preserved in Calahorra Cathedral. [3]
The toponym "Santander" actually takes its name not from Saint Andrew as some, misled by the sound of the name, believe, but from Saint Emeterius (Santemter, Santenter, Santander), one of the patrons of the city and ancient abbey, the other being Saint Celedonius. [4] At Santander, Alfonso II of Aragon founded the abbey of Saints Hemeterius and Celedonius, or Santander Abbey, where the heads of those holy martyrs were kept. The former abbey church is now Santander Cathedral.
They are patron saints of Calahorra, Santander, and other towns of Cantabria. Their feast day is August 30.
Santander is the capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria, Spain. It has a population of 172,000 (2017). It is a port city located in the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Cantabrian Sea.
Calahorra is a municipality in the comarca of Rioja Baja, near the border with Navarre on the right bank of the Ebro. During Ancient Roman times, Calahorra was a municipium known as Calagurris Nassica Iulia.
Fermin was a holy man and martyr, traditionally venerated as the co-patron saint of Navarre, Spain. He was born in the mid 3rd century, so his death may be associated with the Diocletianic Persecution (303).
Cassian, or Saint Cassian of Imola, or Cassius was a Christian saint of the 4th century. His feast day is August 13.
Saints Simplicius, Faustinus and Beatrix were siblings martyred in Rome during the Diocletian persecution.
Gervasius and Protasius are venerated as Christian martyrs, probably of the 2nd century. They are the patron saints of Milan and of haymakers and are invoked for the discovery of thieves. Their feast day in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church is 19 June, the day marking the translation of their relics. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and in the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church, their feast takes place on 14 October (O.S.)/24 October (N.S.), the traditional day of their death. In Christian iconography their emblems are the scourge, the club and the sword.
The Martyrology of Usuard is a work by Usuard, a monk of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The prologue is dedicated to Charles the Bald indicating that it was undertaken at that monarch's instigation. It was apparently written shortly before the author's death in 875. The martyrology enjoyed consistent success throughout the Middle Ages, as evidenced by numerous surviving manuscripts. This martyrology synthesizes elements of the old Martyrologium Hieronymianum, the martyrology of Ado of Vienne, and an enhanced version of that of Bede, attributed to the archdeacon Florus of Lyon. It contains eleven hundred saints' lives. The martyrology is a compilation upon which the later Roman Martyrology depended closely until the twentieth century; it remained throughout the Middle Ages the most famous document of its kind. It is preserved to us in innumerable manuscripts, of which Henri Quentin gives a partial list.
Jovita and Faustinus were said to be Christian martyrs under Hadrian. Their traditional date of death is 120. They are patron saints of Brescia. Faustinus is the patron saint of Pietradefusi.
Rigobert was a Benedictine monk and later abbot of the Abbaye Saint-Pierre d'Orbais who subsequently succeeded Saint Rieul as bishop of Reims in 698. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.
Saints Justa and Rufina (Ruffina) (Spanish: Santa Justa y Santa Rufina) are venerated as martyrs. They are said to have been martyred at Hispalis (Seville) during the 3rd century.
Saint Vindicianus (Vindician) was a bishop of Cambrai-Arras. His feast day is 11 March. He is called a spiritual follower of Saint Eligius.
Saint Marcellus of Tangier or Saint Marcellus the Centurion was a Roman centurion who is today venerated as a martyr-saint in both the Eastern Orthodox and the Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on October 30.
Mesmin is a French saint associated with the Bishopric of Orléans. He was the second abbot of Micy Abbey, founded by his uncle, Euspicius.
Saint Gaugericus, in French Saint Géry was a bishop of Cambrai, France.
Taurinus of Évreux, also known as Taurin, is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church. His legend states that he was the first bishop of Évreux. He evangelized the region and died a martyr.
Severus of Barcelona is venerated as a saint by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. His legend states that he was a bishop of Barcelona and was martyred during the persecution of Christians by Diocletian in AD 304. Details concerning his life and death are uncertain and of questionable historicity.
The Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the village of Santo Domingo de la Calzada in La Rioja, Spain. It is dedicated to the Saviour and St Mary.
Quirinus of Tegernsee, or Quirinus of Rome, is venerated as a martyr and saint of the third century.
Santander Cathedral is located in the Spanish city of Santander. Its structure is mainly Gothic, although it has been extended and renovated in later times.
The Cathedral of Saint Mary is a cathedral located in Calahorra. It is one of the cathedrals belonging to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada-Logroño.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Santander". Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company.