Ginés de la Jara
Saint Ginés de la Jara | |
|---|---|
Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church | |
| Canonized | 1541 by Pope Paul III |
| Major shrine | monastery of San Ginés de la Jara |
| Feast | 25 August |
| Patronage | Cartagena, Spain; sailors; vintners; agricultural laborers; invoked against hernias and storms |
Ginés de la Jara (also known as Ginés de la Xara, Ginés el Franco, Genesius Sciarensis) is a semi-legendary
Historicity and legends
Pre-Christian or
Some scholars believe he may be identical with Genesius of Arles, in Spanish known as San Ginés de Arlés, who was martyred in the 4th century.[2][3] His feast day is identical to that of Genesius of Arles, a connection that some scholars consider as proof that they are identical.[1] According to Serafino Prete, the spread and popularity of Genesius's cult in other cities of Gaul and beyond gave rise to the multiplication and "localization" of his cult, so that Genesius of Alvernia, Genesius of Béziers, Genesius of Rome, Genesius of Cordoba and Ginés de la Jara are actually variations on the same saint and saint's cult.[3]
A legend that appears in a manuscript dating from 1243, Liber Sancti Iacobi, states that the martyr of Arles was buried at Arles but that his head was transported miraculously "in the hands of angels" to Cartagena.
No definite dates regarding his birth and death exist.
Additional stories state that he went on a
Veneration
The spot of Ginés' supposed hermitage at the Mar Menor survived as a sacred site during the age of Muslim rule (and was mentioned by Moorish authors).[1] After the area’s conquest by the Castilians, Alfonso X of Castile restored the bishopric and founded the monastery of San Ginés de la Jara (1250).[1] The site of his monastery was officially declared a holy place and place of pilgrimage by Alfonso X. It was a Dominican monastery before passing to the Franciscans.
The monastery, re-founded in 1491 and rebuilt in the 16th century, is the centre of the cult of this saint. It is considered the resting place of his relics.[1] His cult has been described as essentially local, though it spread to nearby areas, such as Lorca, Murcia, Orihuela, and even North Africa.[1]
Ginés inspired great devotion, and he was considered by local
In 1541,
Around 1692,
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "La Historia de San Gines de la Jara y del Cabezo del Miral" (in Spanish). 2005-04-01. Archived from the original on 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- ^ a b c d e "San Gines De La Jara" (in Spanish). 2004-06-06. Archived from the original on 2008-05-24. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- ^ a b "San Genesio di Arles". 2001-11-13. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- ^ a b "Saint Ginés de La Jara (Getty Museum)". The J. Paul Getty Trust. Archived from the original on 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
Further reading
- John K. Walsh, “French Epic Legends in Spanish Hagiography: The Vida de San Gines and the Chanson de Roland,” Hispanic Review, Vol. 50, No. 1 (Winter, 1982), pp. 1–16.
External links
- (in Spanish) San Ginés de la Jara
- (in Spanish) LA HISTORIA DE SAN GINES DE LA JARA Y DEL CABEZO DEL MIRAL
- (in Spanish) San Ginés de la Jara