A priest of Italian origin converted by the hermit Pancras, Udaut evangelized the Huns on the Danube before returning to the Pyrenees. After miraculously surviving the tortures of the knout and molten lead, he was martyred in Ax in 452 by the Ostrogoths. His body, initially honored in Ariège, was transferred to Ripoll in Catalonia in the 10th century.
Guided reading
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S. ADELPHE, S. PHILADELPHE ET S. CYRIN, MARTYRS,
Origins and virtues of Thecla and Justina
Thecla and Justina, noble cousins from Lentini in Sicily, are raised by Saint Isidora in the love of virginity and dedicate themselves to the relief of persecuted Christians.
Saint THECLA, Saint JUSTINA, Virgins, and Saint ISIDORA (c. 255-260).
The city of Lentini, in Sicily (Leontium), saw the birth o f Thec Thècle Saint invoked by Brienne during her prayer. la a nd Just Justine Sister of Saint Aureus and a consecrated virgin, martyred with him. ina: they were first cousins and belonged to families as noble as they were pious. The mother of Thecla, Isidora, who ea Isidora Mother of Saint Thecla, honored for her pure life. rned by her pure life to be honored as a Saint, raised them both together in the fear and love of God. This woman, superior to the weaknesses too common even among Christian mothers, knew how to inspire in these two young girls a sincere love of virginity. Thecla lost this tender mother early on; but the two cousins were ready for the great combat of life. Remaining heirs to great wealth, they lived in a strict spirit of poverty, used their income for the relief of the poor and especially of Christians persecuted for the faith, caring for them in prisons, redeeming their bodies after their torture, and providing them with a burial worthy of the members of Jesus Christ.
Healings and intervention of the martyrs
Afflicted with physical infirmities, Thecla and Justina are miraculously healed through the prayer and the sign of the cross of the martyrs Adelphius, Philadelphus, and Cyrinus.
The Lord, who measures trials according to the degree of holiness to which He wishes to raise the souls chosen by His right hand, permitted Thecla to fall into a paralysis that lasted six years and for Justina to lose an eye by accident; but God, who chastises only to reward, was to manifest His power in their favor even in this world. The intrepid confessors of the faith, Adelphius, Philadelphus, and Cyrinus, having come at a moment when the persecution had slowed to visit and console the two virgins, began to pray for them, and, armed with trust in God, marked them with the sign of the cross. By one of those wonders to which the prayer of the martyrs had accustomed the Christians, the eyes of Justina opened and the limbs of Thecla returned to life.
Pious works and end of life in Lentini
After supporting the martyrs and escaping the persecution of the governor Tertullus, Thecla founded the bishopric of Lentini before dying peacefully with Justina.
The two virgins resumed from then on, with renewed ardor, the course of their good works: they had to relieve in particular their benefactors who spent two whole years in prison before undergoing the glorious martyrdom that was to send them to heaven. One died by the sword and the other two by fire. Justina and Thecla piously collected their bodies which had been thrown into the water and buried them with veneration. Denounced for this very act to Tertullus, that ferocious governor who claimed so many victims in Sicily, Thecla appeared before him: but God did not yet wish to deprive the earth of this support for Christians and the poor. Tertullus died and Thecla was set free. Always sharing in her good works with her holy co-worker Justina, she worked for the work of God by all the means available to a woman; she provided for the subsistence of the ministers of the altar, built churches and oratories, propagated the cult of the Mother of God; she even obtained the erection of a bishopric in Lentini and provided for its endowment. Justina and Thecla, both having reached the end of their careers and their good deeds, received from the three martyr brothers the warning to prepare themselves: a month later, they were in heaven among the number of the brides of the spotless Lamb.
Patronage and local cult
The three martyr brothers became the patrons of Lentini, while traces of the specific cult of Isidora, Justina, and Thecla remain rare.
Saints Alphius, Philadelphus, and Cyrinus are, after Our Lady, the patrons of Lentini. The Italians call Saint Alphius Saint Albo.
We have found no traces anywhere of the cult of Saint Isidora, Saint Justina, and Saint Thecla.
Conversion and martyrdom of Gordian
Under Julian the Apostate, the judge Gordian converts through contact with the priest Januarius. He is denounced, tortured, and beheaded in Rome for his faith.
ST. GORDIAN, ST. EPIMACHUS, St. MARINA, ST. JANUARIUS, MARTYRS (362). Julian, surnamed the Apostate, not wishing, upon his accession to the empire, to deprive himself entirely of the reputation of a mild prince, concealed for some time the hatred he held against the Christians. But, although he did not openly declare himself their enemy, he nevertheless had all sorts of cruelties executed against them by his lieutenants, sending for this purpose, into the provinces, those whom he knew to be the greatest enemies of the faith, so that the excesses they committed would be imputed to their particular hatred rather than to the orders he might h ave giv Gordien Roman judge who converted to Christianity and was martyred under Julian the Apostate. en them. Gordian was one of these judges, and Julian gave him the vicariate of the city of Rome, under the prefect Apronianus, so that he could satisfy the hatred he had against the faithful. There was then in the prisons a ven erable Janvier The eldest of the seven sons of Saint Felicity. priest, named Januarius, with whom this judge often held conversations. God finally touched his heart through his ministry: he opened his eyes to the rays of divine light and resolved to become a Christian; he was baptized by Januarius, along with Marina, his wife, and fifty-two persons of his household. Clementianus, tribune of the people, having learned of this, immediately informed the emperor, who dismissed Gordian and gave his office to the denouncer. The latter, having become the judge of Gordian, had him brought before him, reproached him for his ingratitude toward the emperor, and made great threats if he did not consent to sacrifice to the idols. Gordian remained firm and unshakable in his faith, mocking Julian and his false gods. Clementianus had him whipped with a cruelty unworthy not only of a Roman citizen, but even of a barbarian and a Scythian; he had his bones broken with leaded cords, and, having had his head cut off, he ordered that his body be exposed on the main roads, with a prohibition against rendering him the duties of burial. However, divine Providence permitted that it be guarded by dogs. It remained five days in this state, at the end of which a servant of Gordian, assisted by some Christians, took it away at night and buried it in the same vault where that of Saint Epimachus had been deposited.
Saint Epimachus and the translation of the relics
Martyred in Alexandria, the relics of Epimachus were transferred to Rome and then to Bavaria, where they rest with those of Saint Gordian.
Saint Epimachu Saint Épimaque Martyr of Alexandria whose relics are associated with those of Saint Gordian. s had suffered martyrdom in A lexandria, Alexandrie Place of refuge and study during the persecution. around 250, with another Christian named Alexander. They were both first thrown into a hideous prison; they were then taken out to be scourged and to have their sides torn. Finally, they were burned in quicklime. The relics of Saint Epimachus were brought from Alexandria to Rome. They are today with those of Saint Gordian, in the diocese of Augsburg, in the abbey of Kempten , which is part o abbaye de Kempten Location of the relics of Gordian and Epimachus in Bavaria. f the kingdom of Bavaria.
The Church joining in its office this other Blessed one to Saint Gordian, we believe we should add a word in passing. Several martyrologies make him active in Rome, and place his torture in that capital of the world, just as that of Saint Gordian. But the Breviary and the Roman Martyrology state that he endured death in Alexandria, as we have just said, and that having been consumed there by fire, his ashes were brought to Rome by the Christians and deposited in the grotto where the body of Saint Gordian was later buried.
Fate of Marina and Januarius and critical notes
Marina ended her days in exile at the fountains of Saint Paul. Cardinal Baronius provides historical details on the chronology of the martyrdom of Gordian.
As for Marina, wife of Sa Marine Virgin of Bithynia who lived in a monastery disguised as a man. int Gordian, she was condemned by ignominy to till the earth in a place formerly called Aquæ Salviæ, and today the fountains of Saint Paul, where she ended her days in the confession of Jesus Christ. As for Saint Januarius, he was marked on the face by infamy; the rest of his torments and the manner of his death are unknown to us.
This is all that is known of the martyrdom of Saint Gordian, who is commemorated in all the martyrologies, with Saint Epimachus, on May 10. Cardinal Baronius speaks of it in this pla cardinal Baronius Church historian who inserted the saint into the Roman Martyrology. ce and in the fourth volume of his Annals, where he does not fail to note the error of several authors who describe this martyrdom as if it had taken place in the presence of Julian, although this emperor was never in Rome during his reign.
Cult of Saint Mathurin at Montchaude
Information on the immemorial pilgrimage dedicated to Saint Mathurin in the diocese of Angoulême, celebrated every May 10th.
On February 21, 1872, Mr. Gayraud, parish priest of Montchaude, canton of Barbézieux (diocese of Angoulême), had the kindness to se nd us the foll saint Mathurin Saint honored in Montchaude, the object of a pilgrimage. owing information regarding Saint Mathurin: "Saint Mathurin, honored at Montchaude, is the object of an immemorial pilgrimage. Every year, on May 10th, one sees the arrival, from the first hours of the day, of numerous strangers, many of whom
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.