Gervasius and Protasius

Martyrdom of Gervasius and Protasius (14th century)

Gervasius and Protasius of Milan ( French Gervais et Protais , English Gervase and Protase ; * in the 3rd century, † around 300, possibly in Mediolanum ) are two Christian martyrs and saints . The name Gervasius means 'the spear servant', Protasius 'the one in front'.

Vita

Gervasius and Protasius (Master's HL, high altar in Breisach, 16th century)

Gervasius and Protasius probably died together around 300 under Emperor Diocletian, the martyrdom in Milan . Details of their life and death are not known. They are said to have been the children of Vitalis and Valeria . They are said to have been baptized with their father by Gaius of Milan .

According to legend , Gervasius and Protasius were twins in Nero's time . They were captured in Rome and brought to Milan, where Gervasius was whipped to death with lead whips and Protasius was beheaded.

Adoration

After a dream, Ambrose of Milan discovered the bones of Saints Gervasius and Protasius on June 17, 386 in the former basilica of Saints Nabor and Felix . Ambrosius had the bones transferred to the nearby church he built (today Sant'Ambrogio ), in which he was later also buried. The relics of the three saints Ambrose, Gervasius and Protasius are now together in the crypt of the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan. The titular church of the two saints (together with Vitalis and Valeria) is Santi Vitale e Compagni martiri in Fovea .

Other important relic sites are the Basilica of Rapallo and the Cathedral of Città della Pieve (both Santi Gervasio e Protasio) in Italy, and the cathedrals of Soissons (Saintes-Gervais-et-Protais), as well as of Le Mans (Saint-Julien) and from Sées (Notre-Dame), and probably earlier in the church at Civaux (Saintes-Gervais-et-Protais) in France.

In 1162 Rainald von Dassel is said to have brought relics of Saints Gervasius and Protasius to Breisach , where a corresponding reliquary is located in the cathedral .

Patronage

Philippe de Champaigne : Gervasius and Protasius, 1658

The saints are patron saints of the cities and communities Alpartir (Spain) Bormio , Breisach am Rhein (Germany), Bariano , Città della Pieve , Cortenova , Domodossola , Marudo , Milan , Novate Milanese , Rouen (France), Sondrio , Spirano , Torri di Quartesolo , Villalengua (Spain, Sangre de San Gervasio y San Protasio). He is also the second patron of the Diocese of Lugano (in the Ambrosian rite).

For churches see Gervasius and Protasius Church

They are considered the patron saints of children and hay workers. You are called against theft and for a good hay harvest.

Johann Martin Brunck (1648–1717) (LThK) had Gervasius von Breisach as the religious name . For personal names, see Gervais (Name) (French), Gervase , Jervis (English)

There are several old "Gervasius and Protasius churches" among the Catholic Thomas Christians in India . They stem from the fact that the Thomas Christians traditionally regarded the two brothers and bishops Mar Sabor and Mar Proth as saints. Their feast day was June 19, on which the feast of the holy brothers Gervasius and Protasius fell in the western church. The Synod of Diamper in 1599 banned the worship of Mar Sabor and Mar Proth, as both came from the Assyrian Church of the East . At the same time the order was issued that all of their churches were to be consecrated to the patronage "Gervasius and Protasius" or "All Saints' Day" . As a result, the Milanese saints gained fame in India, where they were previously completely unknown.

Attributes

The attributes of the saint include the scourge and the club , as well as the martyr's crown .

Remembrance day

Your Memorial Day is

• Catholic on June 19th
  • in Soissons: Finding the bones: March 25th
  • in Le Mans and Séez: transfer of the bones: December 13th
• Orthodox on October 14th , together with Nazarius and Celsius
• Armenian on October 7th

The Herford vision , the oldest known apparition of Mary north of the Alps, is said to have taken place on June 19 .

Pawn rule

The peasant rule corresponding to the day of remembrance is:

If it rains on Gervasius, it must rain for forty days.

The rule is better known on dormouse day .

literature

• Ekkart Sauser :  Protasius and Gervasius. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 7, Bautz, Herzberg 1994, ISBN 3-88309-048-4 , Sp. 1004-1007.
• Gervase, p . (4). S. Gervasius et Protasius, MM. (June 19). In: Complete Lexicon of Saints. Volume 2. Augsburg 1861, pp. 427-428. (zeno.org)

Web links

Commons : Gervasius of Milan  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Commons : Protasius of Milan  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Gervasius in the Ecumenical Lexicon of Saints

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Rouen . In: Le Patrimoine des communes de la Seine-Maritime. , Editions Flohic, coll. Le Patrimoine des communes de France , Charenton-le-Pont 1997, ISBN 2-84234-017-5 ; Information after fr: Église Saint-Gervais de Rouen
2. ↑ Website of the Church of St. Gervasis and Prothasis, founded by Mar Sabor and Mar Proth (here called Mar Sapor and Mar Phrod), in Kothanalloor, Kerala, India ( Memento of the original from February 7, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet tested. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.