Protus and Hyacinthus

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Protus and Hyacinthus, mosaic in San Apollinare Nuovo , Ravenna

Protus and Hyacinthus (* in the 2nd century; † 258 or 262, or around 305 in Rome ) were early Christian martyrs from the time of the persecution of Christians under Valerian around 258, but possibly not until the persecution under Diocletian around 305. They are in the Catholic , Orthodox and Coptic Churches venerated as saints.

Name meaning

The Latin name Protus means "the first". It is also mentioned as Protatius , Proteus , Prothus , Prote and Proto . In English it became Saint Pratt .

The Latin name Hyacinthus was in French to Hyacinthe , in Spanish to Jacinto , in Italian to Giacinto , in Polish to Jacek and Germans Hyacinth .

Legend

St. Protus and Hyacinthus. Miniature from the 14th century

According to the traditional tradition of the Roman martyrology , Protus and Hyacinthus were brothers, some sources also refer to them as eunuchs . They studied ancient scriptures and lived as hermits . Around 240 they were employed as tutors by Philip , the prefect of Egypt . They taught his daughter Eugenia and probably converted her to Christianity. Together with her, they are said to have joined a monastery and were baptized by Bishop Helenus of Heliopolis .

According to legend, they accompanied Eugenia to Rome, where they converted Basilla, a relative of Emperor Valerian . Accused for their faith, they were executed together with Eugenia and Basilla either around 258 in the persecution of Christians under Emperor Valerian or around 262 under Emperor Gallienus with the sword.

Remembrance day

Adoration

The two martyrs are named patrons of some churches in Italy, France and in the Anglo-Saxon region. In the Spanish and Italian language areas, due to the prevalence of correspondingly derived first names, it can be assumed that Hyacinthus in particular was worshiped in the past.

Her relics are venerated in San Giovanni dei Fiorentini in Rome and in the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide .

Pope Damasus I (366–384) honored both saints as "Holy Brothers" with an epitaph , some of which still exists.

Pope Leo IV (847–855) had numerous martyrs' graves opened and the relics distributed to countless Roman churches. In the course of the planned relocation of the bones of Saints Protus and Hyacinthus, however, it had to be determined that only the tomb of Protus could still be found. It seems that the tomb of Hyacinthus had already been destroyed. The bones of St. Protus were then brought to San Salvatore on the Palatine Hill. They were later transferred to the Church of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini .

Finding of the grave in 1845

In an early Christian martyrology from Rome, on the commemoration of September 11th, the following is noted:

"III. Idus Sept. Proti et Iacinti in Basillae "

- Depositio martyrum, around 336

With this date the burial place of the martyrs in the Coemeterium Basillae, today's catacomb S. Hermes on the Via Salaria Vetere is indicated.

Based on this information, the Italian archaeologist Giuseppe Marchi SJ found the tomb of St. Hyacinthus right there on March 21, 1845. The grave, its closure plate and the inscription on it were intact. Ashes and bone fragments from a cremated corpse were found in the grave itself. This suggested that the martyr was killed by fire . The finding niche was closed by a marble slab with the Latin inscription:

DP III IDUS SEPTEBR
YACINTHUS
MARTYR

"Yacinthus the Martyr was buried on September 11th"

To date, this discovery is the only case of a martyr's grave found intact. Since the inscription can be dated palaeographically to the 3rd century, the engraving was probably made immediately after the burial or after the grave was closed.

In the same burial chamber remains of an old architrave were found, which belonged to an ornament that was apparently added later. There was another inscription on it

... SEPULCRUMPROTIM ...

"Tomb of the martyr Protus"

Both martyrs were therefore originally buried in the same tomb.

After the bones of St. Protus had been transferred to another place centuries earlier, the bones of St. Hyacinthus, which had only been discovered by Marchi, were transferred to the house chapel of the Palazzo di Congregatio de Propaganda Fide on the Piazza di Spagna in 1849 .

presentation

Protus and Hyacinthus are usually shown together as young men with a martyr's crown or palm.

Farmer rules

"If it doesn't wet Protus / a dry autumn can be hoped for."

- Farmer rule for September 11th

"If the sun rises fiery today / rainy weather will soon follow."

- Farmer rule for September 11th

Web links

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Him, Damasi epigrammata . 52, 49
  2. ^ Giuseppe Marchi: Monumenti primitivi: I, Architettura della Roma sotterranea cristiana , Rome 1844, p. 238ff. u. 264ff.
  3. ↑ Victor Saxer: Protus u. Hyacinthus . In: Lexicon for Theology and Church, 3rd edition, Vol. 8 Col. 670.
personal data
SURNAME Protus and Hyacinthus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION christian martyrs
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century
DATE OF DEATH at 258
Place of death Rome