Serapion (monk)

Francisco de Zurbarán - St. Serapion of the Mercedarians (1628)

Saint Serapion (* around 1175/79; † 1240 in Algiers ) was a monk of the Mercedarian order in Spain and its first martyr . His maiden name is unknown; Serapion ( Greek : 'the inflamed') is probably his religious name . His life coincided with the religious and armed conflicts with Islam on the Iberian Peninsula ( Reconquista ).

Life

Serapion's family came from Scotland or Ireland - in medieval sources he is referred to as Serapio Scotus ; however, he was probably born in London around 1175/9. First he served in the army of Richard the Lionheart , then in the army of the Duke of Austria , Leopold VI. with whom he moved to Spain. Leopold brought reinforcements to the Christian army of the King of Castile , Alfonso VIII , to fight the Muslims ( Moors ). Arriving in Spain, Serapion decided to enter the service of the Castilian king in order to be able to devote himself entirely to the defense of the Christian faith.

Shortly afterwards he got to know Petrus Nolascus and his brotherhood of the Mercedarians, who also campaigned for the spread of the Christian faith among the Muslims, but renounced the sword. The brothers freed Christians from Muslim captivity or slavery in which they ransom offered - but their fourth according to monastic rule were willing to even himself as hostage - to go to Islamic captivity - in exchange for Christian prisoners.

In 1222 Serapion was given the white mercedarians' robes. He managed to buy prisoners and slaves free in southern Spain , which was then occupied by the Moors, and in North Africa .

martyrdom

On one of his trips with his brother Berenguer de Bañeres , he stayed hostage in Algiers and was able to trigger a group of prisoners who were in danger of renouncing their Christian faith and converting to Islam . Berenguer returned alone to Barcelona , the headquarters of the order, to collect the ransom. Now the brothers lost valuable time: The superior Petrus Nolascus, who was in Montpellier at the time , had to be informed and only then wrote an order to his deputy Guillermo de Bas to collect alms in all the monasteries . The collection could be brought together, but no longer reached Algiers at the agreed time. The infuriated Sultan of Algiers, Selin Benimarin , let Serapion therefore in 1240 cruel and merciless to an X-Cross ( St. Andrew's Cross ) nail and then the body limb from limb chop into pieces. With that the Mercedarian Order had its first martyr.

meaning

Serapion was a great role model for Saint Raymond Nonnatus , but also for many other friars of the Mercedarians. His Catholic feast day is November 14th.

Others

An expressive painting by Francisco de Zurbarán from 1628 shows St. Serapion in the white Mercedarian costume as a tortured prisoner tied at the wrists before his actual martyrdom.

literature

• Bruno W. Häuptli:  Serapion of the Mercedarians. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 30, Bautz, Nordhausen 2009, ISBN 978-3-88309-478-6 , Sp. 1392-1395.

Web links

• Serapion in the Ecumenical Lexicon of Saints