Ferreolus and Ferrutius
Ferreolus and Ferrutius ( French Ferréol et Ferjeux , Italian Ferreolo e Ferruccio ) were brothers and martyrs of the 3rd century who are especially venerated in the area around today's French city Besançon . They belong to the group of "head carriers" ( cephalophores ).
Vita
According to tradition, the two brothers came from Asia Minor ( Asia minor ) ; they were allegedly made by St. Polycarp of Smyrna († around 155) converted to Christianity and sent to the Besançon area by Irenaeus of Lyon († around 200), who ordained her as priest and deacon , where she served as missionaries among the Sequani for more than 30 years worked. At the time of the reign of the Roman emperor Severus Alexander (r. 222–235) they are said to have suffered martyrdom ; According to other sources, her martyrdom is said to have taken place as early as 212.
Adoration
In 370 her bones are said to have been found in a cave; they were deposited in a box by Bishop Anianus. Gregory of Tours († 594) later writes that her relics worked many miracles. Several churches in the Besançon area are dedicated to the two saints, the largest being the neo-Romanesque basilica Saint-Ferjeux (1884–1901) located about 4 km west of the city .
presentation
Medieval representations of the two saints are unknown; in later portraits they are usually depicted as a pair of brothers. In some representations they appear as “head carriers” (cephalophores).
