Emygdius

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Saint Emygdius
earthquakes

Saint Emygdius (Latin: Emidius, Æmedius, Emigdius, Hemigidius; Italian: Sant'Emidio; c. 279 – c. 309 AD) was a Christian bishop who is venerated as a martyr. Tradition states that he was killed during the persecution of Diocletian.[1]

Legend

His legend

pagan of Trier who became a Christian. He travelled to Rome and cured the paralytic daughter of his host Gratianus, who had let him stay with him at his house on Tiber Island
. Gratianus' family then converted to Christianity.

Emygdius also cured a

Aesculapius
on the island in the Tiber, where he cured many of the sick. Emygdius declared himself a Christian, however, and tore down the pagan altars and smashed into pieces a statue of Aesculapius. He also converted many to Christianity; this enraged the prefect of the city.

He was made a bishop by Pope Marcellus I (or Pope Marcellinus), and sent to Ascoli Piceno.

On his way to Ascoli, Emydgius made more conversions, and performed a miracle where he made water gush out of a mountain after striking a cliff. Polymius, the local governor, attempted to convince Emygdius to worship

Jupiter and the goddess Angaria, the patroness of Ascoli. Polymius also offered him the hand of his daughter Polisia. Instead, Emygdius baptized her as a Christian in the waters of the Tronto
, along with many others.

Enraged, Polymius

Sant'Emidio alla Grotte). After Emygdius' martyrdom, his followers attacked Polymius' palace and pulled it down.[1]

Veneration

His

Sant'Emidio alla Grotte to the crypt of the cathedral happened probably around the year 1000 under Bernardo II, bishop of Ascoli Piceno.[2]

In 1703, a violent earthquake occurred in the Marche but did not affect the city of Ascoli Piceno. The city's salvation was attributed to Emygdius. He was thenceforth invoked against earthquakes, and the city dedicated a church to him in 1717.[1] Other towns have also appointed him as patron, erecting statues in his honour in their churches (L'Aquila, 1732; Cingoli, 1747; San Ginesio, 1751; and Nocera Umbra, 1751).[3]

Emygdius is considered to have protected Ascoli from other dangers. A dazzling vision of Emygdius is said to have deterred

Italian partisans.[4]

Gallery

  • Annunciation with St. Emygdius (1486). Carlo Crivelli.
    Annunciation with St. Emygdius (1486). Carlo Crivelli.
  • The decapitation of Saint Emygdius
    The decapitation of Saint Emygdius
  • Statue of Saint Emydgius converting Polisia
    Statue of Saint Emydgius converting Polisia
  • "Red Temple" of Sant'Emidio, Ascoli Piceno, built on the supposed spot of Emygdius' martyrdom.
    "Red Temple" of
    Sant'Emidio, Ascoli Piceno
    , built on the supposed spot of Emygdius' martyrdom.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Sant' Emidio Martire
  2. ^ Comune di Ascoli Piceno
  3. ^ Abruzzo Heritage Archived 2007-10-31 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b Sant' Emidio Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint Emidius.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Emygdius&oldid=1207476161"