An
anonymous artist from Toledo, Martirio de San Acacio / The Martyrdom of
Saint Agathius. Circa 1540, 111 x 166.5, Museo del Prado
Martirio
di sant'Agazio di autore anonimo di Toledo
Saint Acace
Soldat martyr à
Byzance (+ 303)
Comme tous les soldats,
il dut un jour offrir l'encens à la statue de l'empereur pour témoigner de sa
loyauté. Il refusa. Conduit à Byzance, il eut les mâchoires brisées durant le
voyage et souvent flagellé. Il resta fidèle à Jésus Christ et fut décapité dans
le quartier du Staurion à Constantinople où une petite église fut construite en
son honneur.
À Byzance, vers 303,
saint Acace, soldat, martyr
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/6826/Saint-Acace.html
Also
known as
Acacius of Constantinople
Acacius of Armenia
Acato of Avila
Acathius
Achatius
Agathius
Agathus
Agazio (in Calabria)
Cuenca (in Spain)
16
January (translation of relics)
17 April (Orthodox
calendar)
7 May on
some calendars
Profile
Christian centurian in
the imperial Roman army stationed
in Thrace. Tortured and executed in
the persecutions of Diocletian.
Several churches in Constantinople dedicated
to him, including one dedicated by Constantine
the Great. One of the Fourteen
Holy Helpers.
Born
tortured,
scourged, and beheaded c.303 in Constantinople
in Italy
Catanzaro-Squillace, archdiocese of
in Spain
soldier carrying
a bunch of thorns
soldier carrying
a dead tree bough
soldier carrying
sacred vessels
soldier in armor with
standard and shield
soldier with
a palm branch
of martyrdom
soldier with
a hand full of thorns
with Saint Theodore
Tyro
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Legends
of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, by Father Bonaventure
Hammer
Roman
Martyrology, 1914 edition
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
books
Emblems of the Saints, by
F C Husenbeth and Augustus Jessopp
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
Saints
and Their Attributes, by Helen Roeder
The Saints: A Concise Biographical Dictionary, by John
Coulson
other
sites in english
images
sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
fonti
in italiano
Arcidiocese Metropolitana di Catanzaro-Squillace
Martirologio Romano, 2005 edition
spletne
strani v slovenšcini
MLA
Citation
“Saint Acacius of
Byzantium“. CatholicSaints.Info. 15 January 2024. Web. 11 September 2026.
<http://catholicsaints.info/saint-acacius-of-byzantium/>
SOURCE : http://catholicsaints.info/saint-acacius-of-byzantium/
Katholische
Pfarrkirche St. Martin in Wertingen im
Landkreis Dillingen an der Donau (Bayern), Malerei an der Emporenbrüstung;
Darstellung: Heiliger Achatius
Article
(Saint) Martyr (May 8) (4th
century) A Christian centurion in
the Roman army, tortured and beheaded at Constantinople under Diocletian (A.D. 303).
Constantine the Great built a noble church in
his honour. He is the Saint Agazio
venerated at Squillace in Calabria.
MLA
Citation
Monks of Ramsgate.
“Acathius”. Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 30 April 2012.
Web. 12 September 2026.
<http://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-acathius/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-acathius/
Interior of St. Aposteln
(Köln) ; July 2017 Cologne photographs
; Statues of
Saint Acacius in North Rhine-Westphalia
St. Acacius
Feastday: May 8
Acacius was a Cappadocian
by birth, also known as Agathus. He was a enturian in the imperial army, was
arrested for his faith on
charges by Tribune Firmus in Perinthus, Thrace, tortured and then brought to
Byzantium (Constantinople), where he was scourged and beheaded. His feast day is May 8th.
SOURCE : https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=785
St.
Peter und Paul (Demerath), linker Seitenaltar, Statue St. Achatius
Acacius of Byzantium M
(RM)
(also known as Agathus,
Agario, Acato)
Died c. 303. Saint
Acacius was a Cappadocian centurion in the Roman army stationed in Thrace, who
was tortured and beheaded at Byzantium under Diocletian. Constantine the Great
built a church in his honor (Benedictines).
In art, Saint Acacius is
a centurion with a bunch of thorns. He may also be shown (1) in armor with a
standard and shield, or (2) in Byzantine art, with Saint Theodore Tyro
(Roeder). He is venerated as San Acato in Avila and Cuenca (Spain) and as Saint
Agario in Squillace (Calabria, Italy) (Roeder).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0508.shtml
Our
Lady Church, Šmarna gora: The altar to Saint Florian and Saint Achatius,
altar's painting painted by Gašper Luka Götzl, painter from Krajn
Marijina
cerkev na Šmarni gori: Oltar sv. Florijana in sv. Ahacija, oltarno sliko je
naslikal kranjski slikar Gašper Luka Götzl
New Catholic
Dictionary – Saint Achatius
Article
(Agathius) Martyr, Cappadocian centurion.
He was beheaded at
Byzantium, 306.
Three churches were
dedicated to him in Constantinople. Feast, 8
May.
MLA
Citation
“Saint Achatius”. New Catholic Dictionary. CatholicSaints.Info.
22 January 2019. Web. 12 Septembe
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/new-catholic-dictionary-saint-achatius/
Heiliger
Achatius am Flügelaltar der Pfarrkirche St. Anna in Pöggstall,
Niederösterreich. Unbekannter Meister, um 1500.
Saint
Acacius at the winged altar of St. Anna parish church Pöggstall, Lower
Austria. Anonymous master, around 1500.
Legends
of the Fourteen Holy Helpers – Saint Achatius, Martyr
Legend
Of the saints named
Achatius, that one is reckoned among the Holy Helpers who, as a Roman soldier,
died for Christ.
Achatius was a native of
Cappadocia and as a youth joined the Roman army during the reign of Emperor
Hadrian, attaining the rank of captain. One day, when leading his company
against the enemy, he heard a voice saying to him, “Call on the God of Christians!”
He obeyed, was instructed, and received Baptism. Filled with zeal, he
henceforth sought to convert also the pagan soldiers of the army. When the
emperor heard of this, Achatius was thrown into prison, then placed on the
rack, bound to a post and scourged, because he refused to offer sacrifice to
the idols. When all these tortures availed nothing, he was brought before the
tribune Bibianus.
Asked by him what was his
name and country, Achatius replied, “My name is Christian, because I am a
follower of Christ; men call me Achatius. My country is Cappadocia. There my
parents lived; there I was converted to the Christian faith, and was so
inspired by the combats and sufferings of the Christian martyrs that I am
resolved to shed my blood for Christ to attain heaven.” Then Bibianus ordered
him to be beaten with leaden clubs, after which he was loaded with chains and
returned to the prison.
After Achatius had been
in prison seven days, Bibianus was called to Byzantium, and ordered all
prisoners to be transported there. On the journey Achatius suffered greatly,
for his entire body was covered with wounds, his chains were galling, the
guards were cruel and the roads were bad. He thought himself dying. Praying to
God, a voice from the clouds answered him, “Achatius, be firm!” The soldiers of
the guard were terrified and asked each other, “What is this? How can the
clouds have a voice?” Many prisoners were converted. Next day some of the
converts saw a number of men in shining armor speaking to Achatius, washing his
wounds and healing them, so that not even a scar remained.
Arrived in Byzantium the
saint was again cast into prison, and after seven days dragged before the
judge. When neither promises nor the most cruel torments shook the constancy of
the brave confessor of the Faith, the judge sent him to Flaccius, the proconsul
of Thracia, who imprisoned him for five days, and meanwhile read the records of
his former trials. Then he ordered him to be beheaded. Achatius suffered death
for Christ on May 8, 311.
Lesson
Achatius manfully and
without fear confessed the Faith amid persecutions and sufferings. We, too, are
often placed in circumstances where the profession of our Faith and the
practice of the virtues inculcated by it cause us trials. But so deplorable are
the effects of sensuality, avarice, and ambition, and such is the laxity and
spiritual callousness of many Christians, that there is real cause for every
one to be filled with alarm for the safety of his soul. It is not the crowd we
are to follow, but the precepts of the Gospel. Therefore we ought to strive to
give a good example by our faithful compliance with the demands of religion.
For Our Lord Himself exhorts us: “So let your light shine before men, that they
may see your good works, and glorify your Father, who is in heaven” (Matthew
5:16).
Prayer of the Church
O God, who dost give us
joy through the remembrance of Thy blessed martyrs, Achatius and his
companions; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may be inflamed by the example of
those for whose merits we rejoice. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
– from Mary,
Help of Christians, and the Fourteen Saints Invoked as Holy Helpers,
by Father Bonaventure
Hammer
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/legends-of-the-fourteen-holy-helpers-saint-achatius-martyr/
Jochberg.
Parish church St. Wolfgang. Cemetery. Saint Acacius
Martyr Acacius the
Centurion at Byzantium
Commemorated on May
7
Saint Acacius lived in
the third century, and was an officer in the Roman army during the time of
Maximian. At his interrogation he declared that he had received a devout faith
from his parents, and that he would remain steadfast in it, for he had seen many
miracles of healing which took place at the relics of the saints.
After enduring many
tortures in the city of Pyrrinthus, Thrace, he was taken to Byzantium. There he
suffered further torments and was beheaded with a sword in the year 303.
SOURCE : https://oca.org/saints/lives/2011/05/07/101313-martyr-acacius-the-centurion-at-byzantium
The Holy Martyr Acacius
Commemorated on May 7
The Holy Martyr Acacius, who lived mostly in the III Century, was born at Cappadocia and was a centurion of the Martesian regiment under the military officer Firmus. When the persecution against Christians was started up on order of the emperor Maximian Galerius (305-311), Firmus began one after the other to interrogate his soldiers about their faith. Saint Acacius thereupon firmly and openly confessed himself a Christian. Seeing the steadfastness of Saint Acacius, Firmus sent him off to the military officer higher up in command, named Vivianus. Vivianus gave the saint over to fierce torture. After the tortures they put him in heavy chains and locked him up in prison. A certain while later they led the martyr together with other prisoners to Byzantium, to the governor. The soldiers accompanying them went along quickly, showing the prisoners no mercy, and Saint Acacius weakened along the way from his wounds, and also from his chains and hunger and thirst. When finally they halted for the night, Saint Acacius offered up thanks to God, for granting him to suffer for His Holy Name. During the time of prayer the saint heard a voice from the heavens: "Valour, Acacius, and be strong!" This voice was heard also by the other prisoners, and many of them believed in Christ and besought the saint to instruct them and further them in the Christian faith.
At Byzantium they situated the holy martyr in onerous lockup, while the other
prisoners were put under less severe conditions. But at night the other
prisoners beheld, how radiant youths appeared to Saint Acacius and attended to
him, washing his wounds and bringing him food. After seven days, Vivianus again
summoned Saint Acacius before him and was struck by his fresh appearance.
Supposing, that the prison guard for money had given the prisoner both respite
and food, he summoned the guard for a strict questioning. And not believing his
answers, Vivianus had the guard severely beaten. Saint Acacius himself
thereupon answered Vivianus: "My power and strength art given me by the Lord
Jesus Christ, Who hath healed my wounds". Vivianus in a frenzy of rage
gave orders to beat the martyr about the face and smash his teeth for his
unsolicited words. Striving all the more to intensify and prolong the torture
of Saint Acacius, Vivianus sent him off to the governor Flaccinus with a
letter. But having read the letter, Flaccinus became annoyed, that Vivianus had
for so long and so cruelly tortured a soldier holding the venerable rank of
centurion, and he gave orders to without further delay behead the martyr. At
the place of execution Saint Acacius lifted up his eyes to the heavens,
offering up thanks to God for being granted to accept a martyr's death for Him,
and then with a calm joy he lay down his head beneathe the sword. This occurred
in the year 303. Under Constantine the Great the relics of the holy Martyr
Acacius rested at Constantinople in a church built in his honour, and later
they were transferred to Calabria, to the city of Scillatio. The holy Martyr
Acacius particularly helps those resorting to him in prayer in struggle with
the flesh, as discovered by himself for Saint Epiphanios, a disciple of the
Fool-for-Christ Saint Andrew.
© 1996-2001 by
translator Fr. S. Janos.
SOURCE : https://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/May/07-02.htm
Sant' Agazio (Acacio) Soldato
e martire
m. 304
Sant'Acacio (o Agazio)
morì martire intorno al 304. Centurione cappadoce dell'esercito romano di
stanza in Tracia, fu accusato dal tribuno Firmo e dal Proconsole Bibiano di
essere cristiano e, dopo aspre torture e tormenti, fu decapitato a Bisanzio
sotto Diocleziano e Massimiano. L'imperatore Costantino il Grande costruì una
chiesa-santuario in suo onore alla Karìa di Costantinopoli. Da almeno tredici
secoli (dopo l'introduzione del rito bizantino nella diocesi di Squillace a
seguito della soggezione della stessa al patriarcato di Costantinopoli) è
Patrono della città e della diocesi di Squillace (ora arcidiocesi di
Catanzaro-Squillace). (Avvenire)
Patronato: Squillace
(CZ), Guardavalle (CZ)
Etimologia: Agazio =
buono, dal greco
Emblema: Palma
Martirologio Romano: A
Bisanzio, sant’Acacio, soldato, martire.
Sant'Agazio, centurione e
martire, che nel rito latino è commemorato l'8 maggio, morì intorno al 304. Era
un centurione cappadoce dell'esercito romano di stanza in Tracia, fu accusato
dal tribuno Firmo e dal Proconsole Bibiano di essere cristiano e, dopo aspre
torture e tormenti, fu decapitato a Bisanzio sotto Diocleziano e Massimiano.
L'imperatore Costantino il Grande costruì una Chiesa-Santuario in suo onore
alla Karìa di Costantinopoli, dove divenne anche Patrono.
Da almeno tredici secoli
(iconoclastìa e introduzione del rito bizantino nella Diocesi di Squillace a
seguito della soggezione della stessa al Patriarcato di Costantinopoli) è
Patrono della Città e della Diocesi di Squillace (ora dell'Arcidiocesi di
Catanzaro-Squillace).
Il corpo del Santo
Martire è custodito e venerato in una monumentale Cappella della Cattedrale di
Squillace, mentre un braccio venne portato dal Vescovo di Squillace, Marcello
Sirleto, nel 1584 a Guardavalle, suo paese natale, dove è stato anche eletto
come Patrono.Sue Reliquie risultano anche a Cuenca ed Avila in Spagna,
provenienti da Squillace. E' venerato tra i Santi Ausiliatori in diverse parti
dell'Europa centro-settentrionale.
A Squillace si celebrano
tuttora due Feste solennissime: una il 16 gennaio, detta della Traslazione o
delle Ossa, che rievoca l'arrivo miracoloso al lido di Squillace delle Sante
Reliquie, e l'altra il 7 maggio, giorno del Martirio del Santo a Bisanzio
tramandato dai Menologi bizantini e mantenuto ininterrottamente a Squillace. In
questo giorno, preceduto e seguito da un'antichissima Fiera, conviene nella
Cattedrale di Squillace tutto il Clero della Diocesi che presta l'Obbedienza al
Vescovo Diocesano e partecipa ai riti e alla processione solenne.
Autore: Istituto
Cassiodoro - Squillace (CZ)
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90216
_49.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=original){kind=link}
San
Giacomo (Laives, Alto Adige), chiesa di San Giacomo vecchia - Altare a portelle
- Dettaglio
St.
Jakob (Laives, South Tyrol, Italy), old Saint James church - Winged altar -
Detail
Sant’Agazio
patrono di Squillace e dell’Arcidiocesi
Centurione e martire, che nel rito latino è commemorato l’8 maggio, morì intorno al 304. Era un centurione cappadoce dell’esercito romano di stanza in Tracia, fu accusato dal tribuno Firmo e dal Proconsole Bibiano di essere cristiano e, dopo aspre torture e tormenti, fu decapitato a Bisanzio sotto Diocleziano e Massimiano.
L’imperatore Costantino il Grande costruì una Chiesa-Santuario in suo onore alla Karìa di Costantinopoli, dove divenne anche Patrono.
Da almeno tredici secoli (iconoclastìa e introduzione del rito bizantino nella Diocesi di Squillace a seguito della soggezione della stessa al Patriarcato di Costantinopoli) è Patrono della Città e della Diocesi di Squillace (ora dell’Arcidiocesi di Catanzaro-Squillace).
Il corpo del Santo Martire è custodito e venerato in una monumentale Cappella della Cattedrale di Squillace, mentre un braccio venne portato dal Vescovo di Squillace, Marcello Sirleto, nel 1584 a Guardavalle, suo paese natale, dove è stato anche eletto come Patrono.
Sue Reliquie risultano anche a Cuenca ed Avila in Spagna, provenienti da Squillace. È venerato tra i Santi Ausiliatori in diverse parti dell’Europa centro-settentrionale.
A Squillace si celebrano tuttora due Feste solenni: una il 16 gennaio, detta
della Traslazione o delle Ossa, che rievoca l’arrivo miracoloso al lido di
Squillace delle Sante Reliquie, e l’altra il 7 maggio, giorno del Martirio del
Santo a Bisanzio tramandato dai Menologi bizantini e mantenuto
ininterrottamente a Squillace. In questo giorno, preceduto e seguito da
un’antichissima Fiera, conviene nella Cattedrale di Squillace tutto il Clero
della Diocesi che presta l’Obbedienza al Vescovo Diocesano e partecipa ai riti
e alla processione solenne.
L’inno
Il testo (in latino)
Iam sol occidit aureus
nobis corruscus advenit
tuasque, Martyr inclite,
laudes benignus accipe.
En tua gens te sospite
sospes ad aras advolat
et tua colit cernuo
ossa verenda poplite.
Ossa quae Christi ab
hostibus
arcula inclusa plumbea
volvuntur, oh durities!
ad imum maris gurgitem.
At nova quae non detegis
sancta fides miracula
per te natura protinus
novo mutatur ordine.
Per te rati simillimum
plumbum per aequor innatat
et litus ad Scyllaceum
quas habet opes aperit.
O ter quaterque et
amplius
beata semper arcula
quae tanti sacra militis
ossa recondis graemio.
Sit honor Patri et Filio
cum recreante Spiritu
cui mare terra sidera
morem gerunt et omnia.
Amen.
SOURCE : https://www.diocesicatanzarosquillace.it/i-santi-patroni/santagazio/