Plague saints

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Marian column Wiener Neustadt , surrounded by six plague saints Sebastian , Franz Xaver , Karl Borromäus , Rosalia , Rochus and Benno in 1714 .
Josse Lieferinxe : St. Sebastian prays for the plague victims, 1497–1499
Plague saints are often venerated in combination: Very often St. Sebastian and St. Rochus, here in the castle church of St. Peter and Paul in Neufra

Pestheilige were in the times of plague or similar epidemics to preservation and healing called saints .

The plague saints can be distinguished iconographically on the one hand as intercessory helpers, healers or miracle workers, who were ascribed the salvation of individuals, entire groups or cities from the epidemic. These include saints such as Rochus of Montpellier , Anthony of Padua , the medical saints Cosmas and Damian , Rosalia (saints) or Charles Borromeo .

A second motif is the protective sheath, which was invoked above all from the Virgin Mary . Symbolic protection was sought from the plague arrows , which were often shot by an angel and viewed as God's punishment. Protection against the plague arrows was symbolically promised in the arrows that were shot at saints but could not harm them, as in the example of the respected plague saint St. Sebastian or Aegidius . In addition, saints became the patrons of merciful brotherhoods such as the Sebastian brotherhoods , which devoted themselves to care, burial or the organization of pilgrimages to those suffering from the plague.

Saints who were directly attacked by the plague and fell victim to it, such as Aloisius of Gonzaga , were venerated as plague saints.

The Holy Trinity was particularly venerated as a plague saint , as evidenced by the numerous plague columns dedicated to her .

The plague saints include:

See also

literature

  • Lexicon of Christian Iconography . Lim. by Engelbert Kirschbaum. Edited by Wolfgang Braunfels . 8 vols. Herder Verlag, Freiburg im Breisgau et al. 1968–1976. ISBN 3-451-22568-9 , Vol. 3, p. 409