Saint Cetteus (or ''Ceteus'', also known as ''Peregrinus, Pelligrinus, Pellegrino'') (d. June 13, 597) () is the

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, fa ...

Pescara Pescara (; ; ) is the capital city of the province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo Regions of Italy, region of Italy. It is the most populated city in Abruzzo, with 118,657 (January 1, 2023) residents (and approximately 350,000 including the surround ...

. He was a

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

of the 6th century, elected to the see of

Amiternum Amiternum was an ancient Sabine city, then Roman city and later bishopric and Latin Catholic titular see in the central Abruzzo region of modern Italy, located from L'Aquila. Amiternum was the birthplace of the historian Sallust (86 BC). Histo ...

in Sabina (today the city of San Vittorino) in 590, during the pontificate of

Gregory the Great Pope Gregory I (; ; – 12 March 604), commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great (; ), was the 64th Bishop of Rome from 3 September 590 until his death on 12 March 604. He is known for instituting the first recorded large-scale mission from Rom ...

. According to a largely legendary ''Passio'', during Cetteus’ episcopate, Amiternum was occupied by two Lombard captains, Alai and Umbolus. Cetteus, because he refused to support this occupation, fled to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. Pope Gregory convinced Cetteus to return, however, after receiving a promise from the Lombards that they would treat the city's inhabitants with humanity. However, a dispute broke out between Alai and Umbolus, and Alai sided with Count Verilianus of

Orte Orte is a town, ''comune'', former Catholic bishopric and Latin titular see in the province of Viterbo, in the central Italian region of Lazio, located about north of Rome and about east of Viterbo. Geography Orte is situated in the Tiber V ...

, who occupied Amiternum at night. When the city's inhabitants woke up to this occupation, they wanted to kill Alai, but Cetteus intervened, and Alai was simply imprisoned but not killed. Umbolus, meanwhile, believed that Cetteus was an ally of Alai, and ordered the bishop's immediate execution. He was executed by having a large stone tied around his neck,Saints Florian and

Quirinus of Sescia Quirinus () (died 309 AD) is venerated as an early bishop of Sescia, now Sisak in Croatia. He is mentioned by Eusebius of Caesarea. A ''Passio'', considered unreliable,

were also executed in this manner. being thrown off a bridge and into the

Aterno-Pescara The Aterno-Pescara (ancient ''Aternus'' from the Greek ''Aternos'', ''Άτερνος'') is a river system in Abruzzo, eastern central Italy. The river is known as the Aterno near its source in the mountains, but takes the name Pescara, actually a ...

. His body floated to Pescara, where it was discovered by fishermen. They buried the body, whose vestments they recognized as those of a bishop, but not knowing the bishop's name, they called him Peregrinus (''Peregrino''), meaning "traveller" or "pilgrim." The saint's name was eventually discovered, and the body was buried in the church in Pescara that was later dedicated to him, San Cetteo. This church is now Pescara Cathedral. Although largely legendary, the ''Passio'' is probably correct in placing Cetteus' death at the time of the Lombard invasion.

References

* Nicholas Everett, ''Patron Saints of Early Medieval Italy AD c.350-800'' (PIMS/ Durham University Press, 2016), pp. 104–123. *Nicholas Everett, 'The Passion of Cetheus of Pescara and the Lombard Invasion of Italy. With a diplomatic edition of ''Passio Cethei'' based on Venice, Biblioteca Marciana lat. Z 356”, ''Hagiographica'' 22 (2015), 79-132.

External links

San Ceteo (Peregrinus) di Amiterno
{{authority control 597 deaths Medieval Italian saints Bishops in Abruzzo 6th-century Italian bishops 6th-century Christian martyrs 6th-century executions People executed by drowning Executed Italian people Year of birth unknown