Saint Agapitus | |
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.jpg) Statue of St Agapitus by Marco Antonio Prestinari (ca. 1605–1607) in Museo del Duomo, Milan | |
| Martyr | |
| Born | 3rd centuryAD Latium |
| Died | c. 267AD or 274 AD Palestrina,Lazio, Italy |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
| Majorshrine | Cathedral of San Agapito, Palestrina |
| Feast | April 18; August 18 |
| Patronage | Palestrina; invoked againstcolic[1] |
Agapitus (Italian:Agapito) is venerated as amartyrsaint, who died on August 18, perhaps in 274,[2] a date that the latest editions of theRoman Martyrology say is uncertain.[3]
According to his legend, 16-year-old Agapitus, who may have been a member of the noble Anicia family ofPalestrina,[2] was condemned to death, under the prefect Antiochus and theEmperorAurelian, for being aChristian.[2] After being captured and tortured during the persecution of Aurelian, he was taken to the local arena inPalestrina andthrown to the wild beasts. However, the animals refused to touch him and he was thus beheaded.
Agapitus is mentioned in the ancient martyrologies, including theMartyrologium Hieronymianum ofJerome, theFulda Martyrology. Based on doubts regarding the details of his martyrdom, some of which were related in earlier editions of the Roman Martyrology,[2] editions from the end of the 20th century onward give only: "In Palestrina, Lazio, Saint Agapitus, martyr."[4] Around the 5th century,Pope Felix III built abasilica in his honour on the supposed site of his martyrdom.[2][5] His relics were kept in the basilica, and a cemetery grew around it.[2] At some uncertain date, his relics weretransferred to the present cathedral of Palestrina.[2] Some of them were transferred toBesançon.[1] and other places in Europe.
Agapitus is honoured in theTridentine calendar by acommemoration added to theMass andcanonical hours in the liturgy of the day within theOctave of theAssumption.Pope Pius XIIabolished all octaves apart from those of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost, including that of the Assumption. Accordingly, in theGeneral Roman Calendar of 1960 the celebration of Saint Agapitus appears as a commemoration in the ordinary weekday Mass.[6][7]
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