Christian martyr
Saint Caesarius of Terracina
(
Italian
:
Saint Cesario Deacono
, "St Caesarius the Deacon") was a Christian
martyr
. The church of
San Cesareo in Palatio
in
Rome
bears his name.
Life
[
edit
]
Caesarius was a
deacon
of
Africa
, martyred at
Terracina
in
Italy
.
The
"Passio"
(story of martyrdom) of Saint Caesarius is set in Terracina, harbor town near Rome and
Naples
, under the pagan emperor
Trajan
(r. 98?117).
Caesarius, belonging to the ancient and illustrious
gens Julia
, after a shipwreck, arrived in Terracina to preach the
Gospel
to poor people. In this Roman city, each year on the first day of January, a ceremony of self-immolation took place to assure the health and salvation of the Empire. A young man was pampered with material delights and fulfilled in all his wishes for eight months; then he was obliged to mount on a richly harnessed horse, climb up to the summit of city's cliff and throw himself into the void, with the recalcitrant
horse
, to crash against the rocks and perish in the waves in honour of the god
Apollo
, as a propitiatory offering for the prosperity of the state and the emperors. The deacon Caesarius denounced this pagan custom and protested: "Alas for a state and emperors who persuade by tortures and are fattened on the outpouring of blood".
[1]
The priest of Apollo named Firminus had him arrested and taken before Leontius, Roman consul of
Campania
.
During the interrogation, he refused to sacrifice to the pagan god of the sun and light, and his prayers "caused" the
temple
of Apollo to collapse (located in the Forum), killing the pagan Firminus. Caesarius was then locked up in jail and, after twenty-two months, he was taken to the
Forum
to be judged. He asked permission to pray: a radiant light blazed down on him, and the pagan consul Leontius was thereupon converted and sought baptism; he died shortly after (October 30).
[2]
The
1st of November
of the year 107 A.D., Luxurius, governor of the city, tied Caesarius and Julian (a local
presbyter
) up together in a sack and flung them into the sea, from a cliff called "Pisco Montano".
[3]
In this way the deacon Caesarius was martyred, although not before prophesying the death of Luxurius, bitten by a poisonous viper.
[4]
Caesarius and Julian, on that same day, were thrown back onto the shore and were buried by Eusebius, a servant of God, near the town of Terracina.
[5]
[6]
[7]
Cult: Caesarius as an imperial saint
[
edit
]
Caesarius' feast day is 1 November. From the early Christian age, Caesarius of Terracina was the saint chosen for his name to consecrate the places that already belonged to the pagan Caesars to the faith of Christ.
[8]
The name Caesarius means "devoted to Caesar" and is therefore linked to the great Roman leader
Julius Caesar
, and to the Roman emperors as their name was precisely "Caesar". Saint Caesarius, therefore, replaced the cult of the Caesars, very difficult to eradicate because it was founded on the national self-love of the Romans
[9]
[10]
.The analogy between the name of the saint and that of the rooms called
Caesareum
or
Augusteum
, reserved in Roman public buildings for the cult of the emperors, has always been connected with the precise will of the Church to supplant devotion to the deceased sovereigns of Rome (rather important in paganism) with the one more tolerable towards a Christian martyr.
[11]
The Palatine in the Middle Ages became a ceremonial space, rarely inhabited by the designated occupant: the emperor. In the imperial palaces of the Colle we do not find a multitude of new saints, but a single saint to strengthen the imperial majesty: Saint Caesarius.
[12]
In the 4th century, the Emperor
Valentinian I
's daughter was healed at his shrine in Terracina.
[13]
The emperor then moved his relics to
Rome
, first to a church on the
Palatine Hill
, and then to a new
San Cesareo in Palatio
near the
Appian Way
. The imperial chapel was named after Caesarius by Valentinian III.
[14]
It has been noted that Caesarius's
passio
revolves around the good health or prosperity (
salus
) of the Roman Empire, borrowing the overtones of his name to suggest that the well-being of the state rested more solidly on Christian foundations than on its pagan past.
[12]
Terracina Cathedral
(
Cattedrale dei Santi Pietro e Cesareo
) is dedicated to him and
Saint Peter
.
Patron saint of caesarean sections
[
edit
]
Caesarius is the protector of
Caesarean sections
.
[15]
Saint Caesarius is invoked against river
floods
and
drownings
(in memory of his martyrdom), and for defence against lightning, earthquakes and meteorological calamities.
[16]
Art: precious manuscripts
[
edit
]
The first illustrations of the history of St. Caesarius are found in precious illuminated manuscripts. Most of these manuscripts date back to the Middle Ages.
In the
British Library
of
London
in a "Passionale", a Latin
manuscript
, made in 1110 for the Monastery of Saint Augustine in Canterbury (describes the lives of the Saints from September 21st to November 9th), there is the text of the Passion of Saint Caesarius of Terracina with historiated initial which represents "Martyrdom of St Caesarius" (BL
Arundel MS
91, f. 188r.).
[17]
In the
Morgan Library
of
New York
in the “Book of Hours”, made in 1465 in Langres, France,
[18]
there is the miniature of “Saint Caesarius” (MS G.55 fol. 132v).
In the
Bibliotheque nationale de France
in
Paris
, in the Department of Manuscripts, the
Speculum Historiale
by
Vincent of Beauvais
(translation by
Jean de Vignay
) is kept, made in 1463. In this manuscript the "Passio S. Caesarii" is described with different miniatures of the life of the saints Caesarius and Julian.
[19]
Relics
[
edit
]
The relics of the Saint Caesarius deacon and martyr are preserved in the Basilica
Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
in Rome (basalt urn of high altar), in the
Basilica of San Frediano
of Lucca, Tuscany (urn with six bones), and in
Terracina Cathedral
(urn with two shins and a reliquary arm).
From March 30 to June 30, 2015, the silver reliquary arm of St. Caesarius preserved in
Terracina Cathedral
was exhibited at the exhibition entitled "Precious sculptures: sacred jewelry in
Lazio
" set up in the Braccio di Carlo Magno, in
St. Peter's Square
, in the
Vatican
, by the will of
Antonio Paolucci
, Director of the
Vatican Museums
.
[20]
During the Middle Ages, bone fragments of the saint were translated into England: in
Glastonbury Abbey
[21]
(his relics are listed at Glastonbury in the mid-twelfth-century list of Hugh Candidus of Peterborough), in
Cathedral of Exeter
[22]
and in
Cathedral of Lincoln
.
[23]
Saint Cesarius is venerated in St. Michael Church of
Netcong
, a borough in
Morris County, New Jersey
,
United States
. A bone fragment of Saint Cesarius is preserved in this church.
[16]
Other relics of Saint Caesarius deacon (with the cartouche in Latin
" 1 November S. Caesarii diac. m."
) are preserved in Saint Anthony's Chapel in
Pittsburgh
(
Pennsylvania
); in St. Martha Church in
Morton Grove
(
Illinois
); in St. Joseph Cathedral in
Buffalo
(
New York
); in
St. Raphael's Cathedral (Dubuque, Iowa)
; in the
Shrine of the Holy Relics
in
Maria Stein
(Ohio); in
Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Notre Dame)
, Indiana; in
St Margaret's Chapel, Edinburgh
; in a private collection in
Gnesen Township, St. Louis County, Minnesota
; in Basilica of Sao Sebastiao in
Rio de Janeiro
; in Paroquia Nossa Senhora das Gracas in
Caieiras
; and in the
Manila Cathedral
(
Philippines
).
An Arm Reliquary of Saint Caesarius is preserved in
Kunstegewerbemuseum
in Berlin.
[24]
Bone fragments of St. Caesarius (with the cartouche in Latin
"S. Caesarii diac. m."
) are preserved in
Sancta Sanctorum
of Roma, in Cathedral of
Monreale
(Palermo, Italy); in Treasury of the Collegiate of St. Peter and St. Alexander in the Museum of the Chapter of the Rectory of
Aschaffenburg
(Germany); in
Essen Minster
; in the Museum Frederic Mares of
Barcelona
; in the Museum de la Visitation,
Moulins
(France); in the Museum Sao Roque of
Lisbon
. In the municipality of St. Marys (Kansas, United States of America) on May 3, 2023 Bishop Bernard Fellay consecrated the main altar of the majestic Basilica of the Immaculate Conception with a first class relic of St. Caesarius deacon and martyr of Terracina and of Sant'Emerentiana (sister of Sant'Agnese)
In Italy other bone fragments of the saint are preserved in:
Udine Cathedral
;
[25]
Naples Cathedral
;
[26]
Santa Brigida, Naples
;
Santa Maria in Vallicella
;
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
;
Santa Maria Corteorlandini, Lucca
;
San Paolo Maggiore, Bologna
;
Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, Turin
;
Anagni Cathedral
;
[27]
Verona Cathedral
;
Foligno Cathedral
;
San Cesario di Lecce
;
Cesa
;
[28]
San Cesareo
;
San Cesario sul Panaro
;
Asola, Lombardy
;
Guardea
;
Cava de' Tirreni
;
Nave, Lombardy
;
Fara in Sabina
.
Icon of St. Caesarius around the world
[
edit
]
On the occasion of the
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy
, a new
icon
of Saint Caesarius martyr painted by artist Giovanni Guida
[29]
was exhibited in museums, cathedrals and basilicas alongside
reliquaries
in which are preserved fragments of the body of the saint.
[30]
The tour included sites in
Italy
,
Spain
,
Mexico
,
Portugal
,
France
,
Corsica
,
Germany
,
United States
,
England
,
Philippines
,
Croatia
and
Slovakia
. The icon has been exhibited in such museums as the Kunstegewerbemuseum in
Berlin
; Museum Frederic Mares of
Barcelona
; Museum Sao Roque of
Lisbon
; Museum of the Chapter of the Rectory of
Aschaffenburg
) and in important basilicas (
St. Joseph Cathedral in Buffalo
; St. Raphael's Cathedral in
Dubuque
; Saint Anthony's Chapel in
Pittsburgh
; St. Martha Church in
Morton Grove
; St. Michael's Church in
Netcong
;
Manila Cathedral
; and Basilica Santa Croce in Gerusalemme in
Rome
).
[31]
Illustrations life of Caesarius deacon and martyr
[
edit
]
-
Shipwreck of Saint Caesarius deacon in the city of Terracina.
-
Preaching of Saints Caesarius deacon and Julian presbyter in Terracina.
-
Saint Caesarius deacon denounces human sacrifice in Terracina.
-
Saint Caesarius deacon destroys the Temple of Apollo in Terracina.
-
Saint Caesarius deacon converts the Roman consul Leonzio.
-
Martyrdom of Saints Caesarius deacon and Julian on "Pisco Montano" of Terracina: closed in a sack and thrown into the sea ("Poena cullei").
-
Finding of body of Saint Caesarius deacon in Terracina.
Gallery
[
edit
]
-
Relic of St. Caesarius deacon and martyr,
Saint Anthony's Chapel
in
Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania. In photo, Fr. James Orr
-
Relic of St. Caesarius deacon and martyr, St. Michael's Church in
Netcong, New Jersey
. In photo, Bishop
Arthur J. Serratelli
-
Bishop Richard J. Malone
and Vic. Gen. Msgr. David S. Slubecky with the relics and the icon of Caesarius of Terracina, Cathedral of Buffalo (New York)
-
Relic of St. Caesarius deacon and marty,
Manila
Cathedral (Philippines). In photo, cardinal
Luis Antonio Tagle
-
Relic of St. Caesarius deacon and martyr, St. Martha Church in
Morton Grove
(Illinois). In photo Father Dennis O'Neill and deacon John Herbert
-
Saint Caesarius in
Glastonbury Abbey
-
Relic of St. Caesarius deacon and martyr, Cathedral of St. Raphael and St. Patrick Church,
Dubuque
(Iowa)
-
Netcong, St. Michael's Church, Pact of Sister Cities between Cesa in honor of St. Cesario martyr, July 20, 2019
References
[
edit
]
- ^
De Smedt C. -Van Hoof G. - De Backer J., Acta sanctorum novembris, tomus I, Parisiis 1887
- ^
Amore Agostino, Cesario e Giuliano, santi martiri di Terracina, in Bibliotheca Sanctorum, III, Citta del Vaticano 1963, coll. 1154-1155
- ^
Caesarius Diaconus, testi e illustrazioni di Giovanni Guida, [s.l.: s.n.], 2015
- ^
Sabine Baring-Gould, The Lives of the Saints, 1, J. Hodges., 1877
- ^
Thomas F. Head, Medieval Hagiography: An Anthology, Psychology Press, 2001
- ^
Moralita cristiane in ossequio di San Cesario diacono, e martire protettore di Terracina
, Roma, Stamperia di Antonio de' Rossi, 1753
- ^
Domenico Antonio Contatore,
De Historia Terracinensi Libri Quinque
, Romae, 1706
- ^
Lugli Giuseppe,
Forma Italiae, Regio I, Latium et Campania, I, Ager Pomptinus, Pars I, Anxur-Terracina
, Roma 1926
- ^
Dissertazioni della Pontificia Accademia romana di archeologia,
Tipografia della Pace, 1907
- ^
Bullettino della Commissione archeologica comunale di Roma
, coi tipi del Salviucci, 1906
- ^
Del Lungo Stefano
La toponomastica archeologica della Provincia di Roma,
Volume 2, Regione Lazio, Assessorato politiche per la promozione della cultura, dello spettacolo e del turismo, 1996
- ^
a
b
Maya Maskarinec,
City of Saints: Rebuilding Rome in the Early Middle Ages
, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018
- ^
S. G. A. Luff,
The Christian's Guide to Rome
, Fordham University Press, 1967
- ^
Michael Perham,
The communion of saints
, published for the Alcuin Club by S.P.C.K., 1980
- ^
Pasero Roberta, Cesareo di Terracina, un santo poco conosciuto: e il protettore del parto cesareo, in "DiPiu", anno XIV, n° 48, 3 dicembre 2018
- ^
a
b
Ex ossibus S. Caesarii: Ricomposizione delle reliquie di San Cesario diacono e martire di Terracina, testi ed illustrazioni di Giovanni Guida, [s.l.: s.n.], 2017
- ^
Henry Shaw, Dresses and Decorations of the Middle Ages, Volume 1, H. G. Bohn, 1858
- ^
Pamela Robinson, The History of the Book in the West: 400AD-1455, Volume 1, Routledge, 2017
- ^
(Paris, BnF, Francais 51 f.34)
- ^
Anna Imponente, Sculture preziose oreficeria sacra nel Lazio dal XIII al XVIII secolo, Edizioni Musei Vaticani, 2015
- ^
Carley James P., Riddy Felicity,
Arthurian Literature XVI
, Boydell & Brewer, 1998
- ^
Conner Patrick W.,
Anglo-Saxon Exeter: A Tenth-century Cultural History
, Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 1993
- ^
Christopher Wordsworth,
Notes on Mediæval Services in England: With an Index of Lincoln Ceremonies
, T. Baker, 1898
- ^
Junghans Martina,
Die Armreliquiare in Deutschland vom 11. bis zur Mitte des 13. Jahrhunderts
, Universitat Bonn 2002
- ^
Someda De Marco Carlo,
Il Duomo di Udine
, Arti grafiche friulane, Udine 1970
- ^
Sabbatini d'Anfora Lodovico,
Il vetusto calendario Napoletano nuovamente scoverto
, vol.10, stamperia Simoniana, Napoli 1764
- ^
Cappelletti Lorenzo,
Gli affreschi della cripta anagnina Iconologia
, Gregorian Biblical BookShop, 2002
- ^
Grassia Luigi,
Vita e Martirio del Gran Levita africano San Cesario
, Aversa 1912
- ^
"Guida Giovanni nell'Enciclopedia Treccani"
.
Treccani
, Italian Encyclopedia of Science, Letters, and Arts
.
Archived
from the original on 2021-01-28.
- ^
San Cesario: La nuova icona
, in
Famiglia Cristiana
, April 24, 2016
- ^
Luciano, Sergio (May 3, 2018).
"Il viaggio nel mondo dell'icona di San Cesario di Terracina"
.
Economy Mag
(in Italian). Archived from
the original
on July 30, 2022
. Retrieved
December 8,
2020
.
External links
[
edit
]