Aphrodisius of Béziers

According to legend, Aphrodisius of Béziers († probably 3rd century in Béziers ) was the first bishop of Béziers . It belongs to the group of cephalophores ("head carriers").

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Gregory of Tours (approx. 538-594) reports that Aphrodisius was an Egyptian who was martyred in Languedoc with his companions Caralippus, Agapius and Eusebius . In the 9th century, Ado von Vienne also wrote about Aphrodisius in his report on Paulus von Narbonne , but without mentioning martyrdom. This does not appear until much later, in the 16th century, in legends, which then report for the first time about a camel.

Legend

According to legend, Aphrodisius received the Holy Family in Heliopolis on their flight to Egypt . Later, when he heard of the miracles Christ performed, he traveled from Egypt to Palestine and received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost . He then traveled with Paul from Narbonne to the south of Gaul , where Paul became bishop in Narbonne , while Aphrodisius went on a camel to Béziers, where he settled as a hermit in a cave. He then became the city's bishop, but was later beheaded by locals. Aphrodisius then picked up his own head and walked through the streets of the city with it under his arm. Some citizens put snails in his way, which Aphrodisius stepped on without destroying any of them. He was also mocked by stonemasons on the side of the road, who were then turned into stones - at least that is the local legend explaining the seven stones along the Rue des Têtes . Aphrodisius finally wandered with his head to his cave and died there and was then buried. At first there was a chapel of St. Peter, later a basilica named after Aphrodisius.

Aphrodisius Basilica in Béziers

It can be assumed that Aphrodisius did not already suffer the martyrdom under Emperor Nero , as the legend would have it, but that it is in truth a person from the 3rd century, i.e. without reference to the Holy Family or to Pentecost, including Paul von Narbonne belongs to the time of the persecution of Christians under Decius , while earlier he was equated with Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of Cyprus mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles .

Adoration

Aphrodisius is only venerated in the city of Béziers and its vicinity; The only church in France built in his honor stands here. The saint's feast day is April 28th. On this day, a wooden camel is traditionally led through the town in Béziers to this day.

presentation

Very few representations of the saint exist.

literature

Jean-Claude Pertuzé: L'Apôtre Zéro. Vies de saint Aphrodise de Béziers et de son chameau. Editions Loubatières, Toulouse 1993, ISBN 978-2-86266-188-9 .

Web links

Individual evidence

^ Béziers - Basilica Saint-Aphrodise in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)

personal data
SURNAME	Aphrodisius of Béziers
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	first bishop of Béziers
DATE OF BIRTH	2nd century or 3rd century
DATE OF DEATH	3rd century
Place of death	Beziers

[1] Béziers - Basilica Saint-Aphrodise in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)