Urban I.

Carved figure of Pope Urbanus from South Tyrol, end of the 15th century ( Propsteikirche St. Urbanus in Gelsenkirchen-Buer )

Saint Urban († 230) was bishop of Rome from 222 to 230 . His name means "the city dweller" ( Latin ) and the Liber Pontificalis certifies that he is of urban Roman origin. Little is known about him historically.

mention

He is mentioned by Eusebius of Caesarea in his church history and there is also an inscription in the papal crypt of the Calixtus catacomb with his name. He exercised his office in the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus , who was tolerant towards Christians. The schism of Hippolytus of Rome continued. The church celebrates May 25th as his feast day, which according to old tradition is probably the day of his death.

There is no historical evidence for the attribution of a liturgical ordinance to make measuring instruments only from silver, as well as a letter to Christianity and a decree from Pseudo-Isidore . The legend speaks of a large number of converts, among whom were Valerian, husband of St. Caecilia , and his brother Tiburtius. In addition, according to the Passio S. Caeciliae from the 5th century and other late sources, he is said to have died as a martyr by beheading under Emperor Severus Alexander .

Worship as a saint

Saint Urban I is the patron saint of Maastricht , Toledo , Troyes , Valencia and Zielona Góra (Grünberg in Silesia); the vineyards, the wine, the winemakers and cooper ; against drunkenness , gout (“St. Urbans Plag”), frost , thunderstorms and lightning . The role of patron saint of winemakers is secondary, it was given to him because he was mistaken for St. Urban von Langres († 375).

His Catholic Memorial is the 25. May , the Urbanstag . In Magdeburg there is also the day of the transfer of the bones, January 22nd .

literature

Ernst Pulsfort: Urban I., Pope. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 12, Bautz, Herzberg 1997, ISBN 3-88309-068-9 , Sp. 924-925. ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive )
Werner Lühmann: St. Urban: Contributions to the vita and legend, to customs and iconography. Würzburg 1968 (= sources and research on the history of the diocese and bishopric of Würzburg , 19).

Web links

Commons : Urban I. - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia , Robert Appleton Company, New York 1913.
Complete works of Migne Patrologia Latina with table of contents

Individual evidence

↑ Reinhard Barth (ed.): Hans Sachs : Fastnachtsspiele and poems. With an afterword by Rudolf Mirbt, Munich 1988 (from: Hans Sachsens Selected Works. Leipzig 1923), p. 531.

predecessor	Office	successor
Calixt I.	Bishop of Rome (the term Pope was first used after 384) 222–230	Pontianus

personal data
SURNAME	Urban I.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Urban
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Bishop of Rome (222–230)
DATE OF BIRTH	2nd century
DATE OF DEATH	230

[1] Reinhard Barth (ed.): Hans Sachs : Fastnachtsspiele and poems. With an afterword by Rudolf Mirbt, Munich 1988 (from: Hans Sachsens Selected Works. Leipzig 1923), p. 531.