4th century

Saint Emygdius of Ascoli

Bishop and Martyr

Death
303 ou 304 (martyre)
Latin name
Emygdius
Categories
bishop , martyr
Associated Places
Trier (DE) , Rome (IT)
Summary

Originally from Trier, Saint Emygdius converted at the age of 23 and set out to evangelize Rome and then Ascoli Piceno, where he was ordained bishop by Pope Marcellinus. After destroying idols and performing numerous conversions, he was beheaded under Diocletian. Tradition reports that he carried his own head for a distance of three hundred paces to an oratory.

Guided reading

3 reading sections

SAINT EMYGDIUS, MARTYR,

Mission 01 / 03

Conversion and mission in Rome

Originally from Trier, Emygdius converted at the age of twenty-three and traveled to Rome, where he performed miracles of healing and destroyed pagan idols.

Saint Emygdi Saint Emygde Bishop and martyr from Trier, evangelizer of Ascoli. us was bor n in T Trèves Birthplace of the saint. rier to an illustrious family. At the age of twenty-three, despite the opposition of his parents, he embraced the religion of Jesus Christ and professed it with unwavering energy until the end of his life. Despising all earthly pleasures, he applied himself entirely to the service of God. He burned with ardent charity and, to win souls for Jesus Christ, he traveled to Rome. An i Rome Birthplace of Maximian. nhabitant of the Tiber Island offered him hospitality, and he rewarded him by healing his daughter, who had been suffering from a mortal illness for five years. It was by giving her Baptism that he performed this wonder. Shortly after, having restored sight to a blind man in the presence of the people, which converted him, he was arrested and taken to the temple of Aesculapius. There, he declared himself a servant of Jesus Christ, healed a great number of the sick in His name, destroyed the altars, and threw the broken statue of the god into the Tiber. Three thousand infidels were converted; the prefect, having been warned, flew into a great rage and uttered threats against Emygdius. The latter, warned by an angel, escaped an d went to fin Ascoli Piceno Episcopal see and place of the saint's martyrdom. d Pope Marcellinus, who ordained him bishop and sent him to Ascoli Piceno (Marche of Ancona).

Martyrdom 02 / 03

Episcopacy and martyrdom in Ascoli

Ordained bishop by Pope Marcellinus, he left for Ascoli where he refused to abjure his faith, converted the prefect's daughter, and suffered decapitation before performing a miracle of cephalophory.

On the road, the Saint performed a great number of wonders and obtained numerous conversions. When he entered Ascoli, the idols let out lamentable groans and indicated as the cause of their pain the stranger who had just arrived. The people, irritated, began to search for him and led him before the prefect of the city, who did everything in his power to make him worship Jupiter. He even offered to give him his daughter in marriage. Saint Emy gdius refuse Saint Emygde Bishop and martyr from Trier, evangelizer of Ascoli. d, converted this daughter, and, having brought water out of a rock, baptized her along with fifteen hundred other people. The prefect had the bishop's head cut off, whose body was seen to rise again , take up its head, and wa prendre sa tête et marcher Hagiographic phenomenon in which a decapitated martyr carries their own head. lk to an oratory, a distance of three hundred paces. Later, the relics of Saint Emygdius were transported to a larger church, and they are still today the object of a particular cult for the inhabitants of Ascoli and for many foreigners who come to venerate them.

Source 03 / 03

Sources

Reference to the Acta Sanctorum for the account of the life of Emygdius.

Acta Sanctorum Acta Sanctorum Monumental hagiographic collection by the Bollandists. .

Official source Les Petits Bollandistes, by Mgr Paul GUÉRIN, chamberlain to His Holiness Pius IX.

Annexes & related entities

Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.

Key Events

  1. Converted to Christianity at age 23 in Trier
  2. Journey to Rome and healing of the daughter of a resident of Tiber Island
  3. Destruction of the statue of Aesculapius and thrown into the Tiber
  4. Ordination as bishop by Pope Marcellinus
  5. Conversion of the daughter of the prefect of Ascoli
  6. Decapitation and cephalophore miracle (walked 300 paces carrying his head)

Miracles

  1. Healing of a young girl from a deadly illness during baptism
  2. Restoration of sight to a blind man in Rome
  3. Water gushing from a rock to baptize 1500 people
  4. Cephalophory: walked 300 paces carrying his severed head

Patron of

Important entities

Ranked by relevance in the text
Saint Emygdius Saint 100 Bishop and martyr from Trier, evangelizer of Ascoli. 5 mentions · 2 sections Ascoli Piceno Place 99 Episcopal see and place of the saint's martyrdom. 3 mentions · 2 sections Rome Place 74 Birthplace of Maximian. 1 mention · 1 section Cephalophory Concept 70 Hagiographic phenomenon in which a decapitated martyr carries their own head. 1 mention · 1 section Marcellinus Pope 70 Pope who ordained Emygdius as bishop. 1 mention · 1 section Trier Place 64 Birthplace of the saint. 1 mention · 1 section Prefect of Ascoli Person 62 Roman authority who ordered the saint's execution. 1 mention · 1 section Temple of Aesculapius Institution 52 Place where the saint was taken after his miracles in Rome. 1 mention · 1 section Acta Sanctorum Work 47 Monumental hagiographic collection by the Bollandists. 1 mention · 1 section Tiber Island Place 45 Site of hospitality and the first miracle in Rome. 1 mention · 1 section