Saint Candidus
Saint Candidus | |
|---|---|
Abbaye de Saint-Maurice d'Agaune | |
| Feast | September 22 |
| Attributes | Military attire |
Candidus (d. 287 AD) was a commander of the
Christian saint and martyr
.
Legend
Candidus was first mentioned as a member of the Theban Legion by Eucherius, Bishop of Lyons (434 AD). The 13th-century Golden Legend states: "And the noble man, Maurice, was duke of this holy legion; and they that governed under him, which bare the banners, were named Saint Candidus, Saint Innocent, Saint Exsuperius, Saint Victor, and Saint Constantine, all these were captains."[1]
Candidus is called Maurice's senator militum or
staff officer.[2] He opposed Maximian, who had ordered them to harass the local Christians in his name, stating that "we are your soldiers, but we are also servants of the true God. We cannot renounce Him who is our Creator and Master, and also yours even though you reject Him."[3]
Candidus, along with Maurice, the other staff officers and 6,600 soldiers, is said to have been
is September 22.Remains
Candidus'
relics are stored at Our Lady of Malibu Catholic Church, given by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to the newly formed parish in 1960 under founding rector, Joseph Burbage. The relics were rededicated by Archbishop Jose Gomez in November, 2014. It has been confirmed that his relics can also be found at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Huntington Beach, CA.[6]
Other saints with this name
- Candidus of Armenia, Armenian martyr venerated on 10 March.
- Candidus of Rome, a Roman martyr buried on the Esquiline Hill, whose feast day is October 3.[7]
- Candidus the Martyr, Martyr whose feast day is February 2.[8]
- 7 June, the same as Saint Valentinus of Tongeren. In the Art & History Museum in Brussels is a 12th-century reliquary gable, which was originally in St Servatius' in Maastricht. This church still owns a stone sarcophagus that once contained his relics (amongst others), and two 19th-century copies of the Brussels gable, one of which is now part of reliquary shrine.[9]
Gallery
-
El Greco's The Martyrdom of St. Maurice. The figure to Saint Maurice's right has been identified as Saint Candidus. -
Candidus bust in Saint-Maurice -
Candidus of Maastricht, sarcophagus in Maastricht -
Candidus of Maastricht, reliquary in Brussels
.jpg)
Notes
- ^ The Golden Legend: The Life of Saint Maurice Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine at Catholic-Forum.com
- ^ John Bury, "A Source for El Greco's 'St. Maurice'", Burlington Magazine, Vol. 126, No. 972 (Mar. 1984), pp. 144-148.
- ^ St Candidus at Saints Alive! website
- ^ St Maurice, Switzerland
- ^ La Legione Tebea
- ^ [Los Angeles Archdiocese archives at Mission San Fernando]
- ^ St. Candidus at Catholic.org
- ^ Candidus Archived 2007-10-18 at the Wayback Machine at Catholic-Forum.com
- ISBN 3422007725.