Saints Nazarius and Celsus | |
|---|---|
_Affresco_Chiesa_Nazario.jpg) Giovanni Antonio Merli,Saint Nazarius on a horse, 1480. St. Nazarius and Celsus Abbey,San Nazzaro Sesia. | |
| Martyrs | |
| Born | Rome (Nazarius); Gaul (Celsus) |
| Died | Milan |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 28 July |
| Attributes | depicted as a man and boy walking on the sea[1] |
Nazarius and Celsus (Italian:San Nazaro[2] e San Celso; German:Nazarius) were twomartyrs of whom little is known beyond the discovery of their bodies byAmbrose of Milan.
According toPaulinus the Deacon'sVita Ambrosii, Ambrose, at some time within the last three years of his life, after the death of theEmperor Theodosius (d. 395), discovered in a garden outside the walls ofMilan the body of Nazarius, with severed head. Nazarius's blood was reportedly still liquid and red when his body was exhumed by Ambrose.[1] Ambrose had it carried to the Basilica of the Apostles. In the same garden Ambrose likewise discovered the body of Celsus, which he had transported to the same place. TheCatholic Encyclopedia states: "Obviously a tradition regarding these martyrs was extant in the Christian community of Milan which led to the finding of the two bodies."[3]
Nazarius was a citizen ofRome whose father wasJewish[4] orpagan. His mother wasPerpetua.[5] Nazarius was a student of the apostlePeter and was baptized byPope Linus. During the persecutions ofNero, Nazarius fled Rome and preached inLombardy, visitingPiacenza andMilan, where he met the brothersGervase and Protase, who had been imprisoned and who inspired Nazarius by their example.[6]Nazarius was whipped and condemned to exile by the authorities. He traveled toGaul, where a young boy of nine, Celsus, was entrusted to his care after the boy's mother asked Nazarius to teach and baptize her son. Nazarius raised him as a Christian. The two were arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for their faith. They were released on condition they would not preach at this place any longer. They preached in theAlps and built a chapel atEmbrun, and then continued on toGeneva, and thenTrier. They preached in Trier, and converted many toChristianity, and they were imprisoned once again there. Celsus was entrusted to the care of a pagan lady, who attempted to make him abjure his faith. Celsus refused, and was eventually returned to Nazarius.[6]
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An additional legend that describes their time at Trier states that they were tried by Nero there, who ordered the two to be drowned. Nazarius and Celsus were taken in a ship and thrown overboard, but a storm suddenly arose, frightening the sailors. The sailors pulled the two back on board.[1]
Nazarius and Celsus left Trier and reachedGenoa, and then returned to Milan, and were arrested again. They refused to sacrifice to theRoman gods, and werebeheaded.[5]
This legend, written much later, is without historical foundation and places the martyrdom of Nazarus and Celsus during the persecution of Nero, and describes with many details the supposed journeyings of Nazarius through Gaul and Italy. However, Paulinus says distinctly that the date on which Nazarius suffered martyrdom is unknown.[3] Gregory of Tours[7] states that they were martyred at Embrun.
The discourse eulogizing the two saints which has been attributed to Ambrose (Sermo lv, inPatrologia Latina, XVII, 715 sqq.) is not genuine, according to some critics.
Ambrose sent some of Nazarius and Celsus'srelics toPaulinus of Nola, who placed them in honor atNola. Paulinus of Nola speaks in praise of Nazarius in hisPoema xxvii (Patrologia Latina, LXI, 658). A magnificent silverreliquary with interesting figures, dating from the 4th century, was found in the church ofSan Nazaro Maggiore in Milan (Venturi, "Storia dell' arte italiana", I, Milan, 1901, fig. 445–49).The Milanese church of San Celso is dedicated to Celsus. There is a sanctuary dedicated to Nazarius atMonte Gargano.
Camillo Procaccini painted hisMartirio dei santi Nazaro e Celso around 1629.[8]
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Sts. Nazarius and Celsus".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.