Gorgonius of Rome

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Relief of St. Gorgonius of Nicomedia in Minden Cathedral

Gorgonius of Rome († around 305 in Rome ) is an early Christian martyr . He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church . His feast day is September 9th .

Tradition has it that Gorgonius was buried in an early Christian cemetery called "Inter duas lauros" (Between two laurel trees) on the Roman Via Labicana . This coemeterium is identified today with the catacomb of Saints Marcellinus and Peter .

Gorgonius of Nicomedia

Gorgonius of Nicomedia is often confused with Gorgonius of Rome. This is also an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. About the life of St. Gorgonius is considered certain that he was martyred in the persecution of Christians under Diocletian in Rome. After Lactantius and Eusebius , Gorgonius held a high position at the emperor's court. When the persecution of Christians began, he was one of the first to die cruelly. Legend has it that Diocletian wanted to expose the Christians in his household and ordered that everyone should sacrifice to the Roman gods ; those who refused would be revealed as Christians. The first to be disclosed was Diocletian's valet Petrus Cubicularius, who subsequently suffered a cruel martyrdom. Two Christians protested against the ruthless approach: Gorgonius, an army officer, and Dorotheus, an imperial chamberlain. They too were killed for their beliefs.

It can already be found in a martyrology from the year 354. In the 8th century came relics of St. Gorgonius to Lorraine in the local Abbey Gorze the Benedictines , some time later to Minden in Westphalia. St. Gorgonius is the patron saint of Minden Cathedral and Petershagen Castle . The parish church of St-Gorgon in Ville-sur-Yron was incorporated into Gorze Abbey.

iconography

St. Gorgonius of Nicomedia is depicted as an army officer in knightly armor, with a shield and sword as attributes. He is often shown with his fellow sufferer Dorotheus at the moment of the martyrdom.

Farmer rules

The day of remembrance of the saint is one of the so-called Lost Days . There are therefore several pawn rules:

  • If Saint Gorgon brings rain, autumn follows with few blessings.
  • If it rains on Saint Gorgon, the harvest is lost.
  • St. Gorgon drives the larks away.
  • If it is fine on Saint Gorgon, one will see forty fine days.

literature

Web links

Commons : Saint Gorgonius  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Catacombe di Roma - SS. Marcellino e Pietro. Retrieved November 19, 2019 (it-IT).
personal data
SURNAME Gorgonius of Rome
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Martyrs of the Catholic Church
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd century
DATE OF DEATH at 305
Place of death Rome