Saint Primianus or Primianus of Larino ( or ''Primiano Martire'') (d. 15 May 303 or 304) is the patron saint of

Lesina, Apulia Lesina () is a town and , Roman Catholic Diocese of Lesina, former bishopric and Latin Catholic titular see on the northern side of Monte Gargano in the province of Foggia, in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. Description Lesina lies on th ...

, in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. He is also joint patron saint, with

Saint Pardus Saint Pardus (; 6th century - 7th century) is a Roman Catholic saint associated with Larino in Italy. Larino Cathedral is dedicated to him. Life There is some disagreement about the life of Saint Pardus. He is often described as the first bishop ...

, of

Larino Larino (; ) is a town and ''comune'' of approximately 8,100 inhabitants in Molise, province of Campobasso, southern Italy. It is located in the fertile valley of the Biferno River. The old town, seen from the mountains, is shaped like a bird' ...

in the

province of Campobasso The province of Campobasso (; ) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Molise region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Campobasso. It covers an area of and has a total population of 223,871 (2017). There are 84 ''comuni'' (: ''comune'') in ...

. His feast day is celebrated in both places on 15 May with fireworks and music, but 28 April is the date elsewhere.

Life

The tradition is that three Christian brothers, Primianus, Firmianus and Castus, were persecuted and put to death during the Persecution of Diocletian on 15 May 303or 304 in the

amphitheatre An amphitheatre (American English, U.S. English: amphitheater) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ('), meani ...

of Larino. Firmianus and Castus were devoured by lions, but Primianus tamed them and was spared. He was later decapitated near the Temple of Mars in Larino. There is a further legend that in 842 Larino was invaded by

Saracen upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Rom ...

s and mostly destroyed. Its citizens were dispersed across the surrounding countryside, and the inhabitants of the city of Lesina were able to take from the ruined church the

relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

of Primianus, Firmianus and Castus. The citizens of Larino, once it was restored, declared war on Lesina and stormed it to regain the relics. In the confusion they broke into the tomb of

, patron saint of Lesina, and took his relics instead, removing them in a farm cart decorated with flowers. The former Lesina Cathedral was dedicated to Primianus, and is now a church, containing the Sanctuary of Primianus. A notable

reliquary A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', ''Chasse (casket), chasse'', or ''phylactery'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary, or the room in which one is stored, may also be called a ''feretory''. Relics may be the purported ...

of some of Primianus's relics is preserved in

Acquaviva Collecroce Acquaviva Collecroce (also called ''Živavoda Kruč'' or, usually, just ''Kruč'') is a small town and ''comune'' in the province of Campobasso, in the Molise region of southern Italy, between the Biferno and Trigno rivers. Like the smaller ...

References and notes

Sources and external links

Santebeati.it: San Primiano
Saints from Roman Italy 303 deaths 4th-century Christian martyrs Year of birth unknown Christians martyred during the reign of Diocletian {{Italy-saint-stub