Severus of Ravenna | |
|---|---|
 St. Severus of Ravenna - mosaic in Sant'Apollinare in Classe | |
| Bishop of Ravenna | |
| Born | Ravenna,Roman Empire |
| Died | circa 348 |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Orthodox Church |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
| Majorshrine | Pavio/Pavia (original) Erfurt, Germany |
| Feast | 1 February |
| Attributes | Loom,weaver's tools,dove |
| Patronage | Hatters, wool weavers,[1] spinners, policemen, cloth, stocking, and glove makers. |
SaintSeverus of Ravenna was a 4th-centuryBishop of Ravenna who attended theCouncil of Sardica in 343. He was ordained as a bishop due to his personalvirtue and because of "the sign of a dove". He is commemorated on February 1.
According to legend, Severus, a wool weaver, went with his wife, Vincentia, to observe the election of a successor to Bishop Agapitus for Ravenna. When he arrived at the church a white dove landed three times on his shoulders, so the people took this as a sign elected him.[2] When he became bishop, his wife and daughter, Innocentia, took the veil.
He attended theCouncil of Sardica in 343.[2]
He was buried inClasse near Ravenna.[2]
He was purported to be an example of not only amarried priest, but a married archbishop.[3]
Andreas Agnellus, in hisLiber Pontificalis Ecclesiae Ravennatis, mentions the founding of a church dedicated to Severus at Classe and the later translation of his relics from a nearby monasterium dedicated to Rophilius, which appears to have taken place around the year 500.[4]
On the feast of Pentecost 582, Archbishop John II "Romanus" consecrated the Basilica of San Severo in Ravenna-Classe at his burial place and in his honor - it was destroyed in 1820 (and excavated from 1964 to 1967).
A Gallic priest named Felix stole Severus' bones together with those of his wife Vincentia and daughter Innocentia and brought them to Pavia.[1] In 836 BishopOtgar of Mainz acquired the relics and transferred them to first toMainz, Germany, and eventually to a predecessor building ofSt Severus' Church, Erfurt, where they were buried and still lie today.[5][6] Severus is depicted inJustinian's mosaics inSaint Apollinaire in Classis, and his name is recorded in earlymartyrologies.[3]
There is a Saint Severus Parish Church inBoppard, Germany.
A different St. Severus was martyred in Ravenna during the reign of Maximian, and some early records confused him with the bishop.
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