Saint Chrysolius () the Armenian 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 ...
of
Komen/Comines, today in
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
and
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
;
[William Smith and Henry Wace, ''A Dictionary of Christian Biography, Literature, Sects and Doctrines'', 1877, vol. I ''s.v.'' "Chrysolius"] his relics were venerated in the basilica of St Donatian,
Bruges
Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country.
The area of the whole city amoun ...
.
Life
According to tradition, he was a native
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
who fled to Rome during the persecution of
Christians
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...
by
Diocletian
Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...
, was received by
Pope Marcellus I
Pope Marcellus I () (6 January 255 – 16 January 309) was the bishop of Rome from May or June 308 to his death on 16 January 309. He succeeded Marcellinus after a considerable interval. Under Maxentius, he was banished from Rome in 309, on acc ...
and sent to northeast Gaul, where he evangelized at Verlengehem.
[ According to his legend, he then became a spiritual student of Saint Denis and was sent with Saint Piatus to evangelize the area of ]Cambrai
Cambrai (, ; ; ), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the Escaut river.
A sub-pref ...
and Tournai
Tournai ( , ; ; ; , sometimes Anglicisation (linguistics), anglicised in older sources as "Tournay") is a city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, Province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies by ...
.
and was subsequently stopped by
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of Roman civilization
*Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
soldiers and condemned to be
decapitated
Decapitation is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and all vertebrate animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood by way of severing through the jugular vein and common ...
; the top of his skull was sliced off.
According to his legend, the piece of his skull broke into three smaller pieces, and where each piece fell, a miraculous spring gushed out.
Chrysolius,
after recovering the top of his cranium, walked to Komen and died there, after crossing the ford at the river
Deûle
The Deûle (; ) is a river of northern France which is channeled for the main part of its course (from Lens to Lille). The upstream part is still partly free-flowing and is known as the Souchez. The Deûle flows into the Lys (right bank) in Deà ...
that now bears his name.
Veneration
The waters of the springs where pieces of his head are said to have fallen were believed to cure ailments of the throat and eyes.
The rosette in the façade of the church of Saint-Vaast at
Wambrechies depicts Chrysolius, along with saints
Hubert
Hubert is a Germanic masculine given name, from ''hug'' "mind" and '' beraht'' "bright". It also occurs as a surname.
Saint Hubert of Liège (or Hubertus) (c. 656 – 30 May 727) is the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and m ...
,
Benedict
Benedict may refer to:
People Names
*Benedict (given name), including a list of people with the given name
*Benedict (surname), including a list of people with the surname
Religious figures
* Pope Benedict I (died 579)
*Pope Benedict II (635– ...
, and
Bernard
Bernard ('' Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It has West Germanic origin and is also a surname.
The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''be ...
.
The church of Saint-Chrysole was rebuilt in
neo-Byzantine
Neo-Byzantine architecture (also referred to as Byzantine Revival) was a Revivalism (architecture), revival movement, most frequently seen in religious, institutional and public buildings. It incorporates elements of the Byzantine architecture, ...
style between 1922 and 1929, after its predecessor was destroyed in
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.
Image:Eglise St Chrysole Vitrail.jpg, Church of St.-Chrysole, Komen
Image:Construction st chrysole comines.jpg, Construction of the church of St.-Chrysole, Komen
Image:Eglise St Chrysole vue du beffroi2.jpg, Church of St.-Chrysole, Komen
Image:Eglise Saint Chrysole de Comines - intérieur vu depuis le fond de la nef.jpg, St Chrysole, Komen. interior
Image:Eglise Saint Chrysole de Comines - Choeur (vue générale).jpg, St Chrysole, Komen. interior
Image:Eglise Saint Chrysole de Comines - tabernacle, ancien maître autel et ciborium.jpg, St Chrysole, Komen. Altar and ciborium
Image:Eglise Saint Chrysole de Comines - intérieur.jpg, St Chrysole, Komen. interior
References
External links
Saint Chrysole a donné son nom à plus d'un lieu à WambrechiesCatholic Online: ChrysoliusSaints.sqpn: Chrysolius
{{authority control
3rd-century Christian martyrs
3rd-century bishops in Gaul
Cephalophores
Comines-Warneton
Armenian saints
Executed Armenian people
Armenian expatriates in France
Armenian expatriates in Belgium