Saint Patroclus (Patroccus; french: Parre, german: Patroklus) of Troyes was a Christian

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...

who died around 259 AD.

Life

Patroclus was a wealthy aristocrat of the city of Tricassinum (now Troyes). His parents had left him a substantial estate just outside the city, where he led a pious Christian life. He was noted for his

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * C ...

and for this the Lord bestowed upon him the gift of wonderworking. He is said to have converted

Sabinian of Troyes Saint Sabinian of Troyes (died 275) was a pagan who converted to Christianity (tradition states that he was converted by Patroclus of Troyes), and became a martyr under Aurelian. He was beheaded Decapitation or beheading is the total ...

. Patroclus was probably beheaded under

Emperor Valerian Valerian (; la, Publius Licinius Valerianus; c. 199 – 260 or 264) was Roman emperor from 253 to spring 260 AD. He persecuted Christians and was later taken captive by the Persian emperor Shapur I after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the fir ...

.Schäfer, Joachim. "Patroclus von Troyes", Ökumenischen Heiligenlexikon, August 8, 2021
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''Passio''

His passion story is in many parts an adoption of the Passio of

Symphorianus of Autun :''Symphorian is also the name of one of the Four Crowned Martyrs. For various places in France and Belgium, see Saint-Symphorien.'' Symphorian (Symphorianus, Symphorien), Timotheus (Timothy), and Hippolytus of Rome are three Christian martyrs ...

. The "Passio sancti Patrocli Trecensis" attributes Patroclus's death to the Emperor Aurelian. When Patroclus refused to worship the Roman gods, the emperor ordered him taken to water and there beheaded, so that his body might not rest in peace on dry land. The guards brought him to the

River Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributarie ...

, but their eyes were clouded and Patroclus managed to briefly escape across the river. The guards argued over whether their captive had been delivered by his god or through magic. Patroclus was subsequently recaptured and

beheaded Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the ...

at Troyes. Two old beggars who often received alms from Patroclus collected the body and watched over it until evening. Then Eusebius, the archpriest of that place, and the deacon Liberius came by night, wrapped the body in linen, and buried it discreetly. They then kept vigil with the two old men.Akker S.J., Dries van den. "Patroclus van Troyes", Heiligen
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Veneration

Gregory of Tours recounts that a small chapel was built over the saint's grave at Saint-Parres-aux-Tertres.

Bruno I, Archbishop of Cologne Bruno the Great (german: Brun(o) von Sachsen, "Bruno of Saxony"; la, Bruno Magnus; May 925 – 11 October 965 AD) was Archbishop of Cologne''Religious Drama and Ecclesiastical Reform in the Tenth Century'', James H. Forse, ''Early Theatre'', ...

transported Patroclus'

relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tang ...

from Troyes to Cologne in 962, and transferred them in 964 to Soest, Germany, where they are held in the church St. Patrokli, dedicated to the saint. Patrocus is the patron saint of Soest, where there is a polychrome statue of the saint in the central part of the façade of the townhall. In art, Patroclus is depicted as a warrior pointing to a

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...

with a

pearl A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carb ...

in its mouth, often invoked against demons and

fever Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point. There is not a single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using val ...

. His feast day is January 21."Den hellige Patroclus", Den katolske kirke
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Patroclus Of Troyes 259 deaths 3rd-century Christian martyrs Gallo-Roman saints Year of birth unknown