Constantius of Perugia (also known as Costantius, Constance or Costanzo) (died c. 170 AD) is one of the
patron saints
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person. ...
of
Perugia
Perugia (, , ; lat, Perusia) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber, and of the province of Perugia.
The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and par ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
.
Legend
According to his legend, of which four versions exist, he was arrested during the persecutions of
Antoninus (some sources say
Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Latin: áːɾkus̠ auɾέːli.us̠ antɔ́ːni.us̠ English: ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers known as the Five Good ...
) and whipped, and then forced into a stove along with his companions, from which all escaped unharmed. He was jailed and set free by his guards, whom he had converted to
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...
. He sought refuge in a house owned by a Christian named Anastasius. But he, along with Anastasius, were arrested again and after being tortured in prisons at
Assisi
Assisi (, also , ; from la, Asisium) is a town and ''comune'' of Italy in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region, on the western flank of Monte Subasio.
It is generally regarded as the birthplace of the Latin poet Propertius, born around ...
and
Spello, were
decapitated near
Foligno
Foligno (; Southern Umbrian: ''Fuligno'') is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river where it leaves the Apennines and enters the wide plain of the Clitunno river system. It is located s ...
.
[San Costanzo di Perugia]
/ref>
Local tradition makes him the first bishop of Perugia.
Veneration
His cult was diffused beyond Umbria
it, Umbro (man) it, Umbra (woman)
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. He was listed in the '' Martyrologium Hieronymianum'' under the feast day of January 29.
The four variations of his legend are consistent in regards to the place of his martyrdom (Foligno). A church in Perugia dedicated to him was demolished in 1527.cathedral
A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominatio ...
there. His relics were translated in 1825 with great solemnity to a new altar at the present-day church of San Costanzo.
On his feast day, "torcolo", a ring-shaped cake made of pine nuts, raisins
A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the da ...
, and dried fruit
Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to th ...
, is a traditional food in Perugia.mitre
The mitre (Commonwealth English) (; Greek: μίτρα, "headband" or "turban") or miter (American English; see spelling differences), is a type of headgear now known as the traditional, ceremonial headdress of bishops and certain abbots in t ...
and robe and bearing a crozier
A crosier or crozier (also known as a paterissa, pastoral staff, or bishop's staff) is a stylized staff that is a symbol of the governing office of a bishop or abbot and is carried by high-ranking prelates of Roman Catholic, Eastern Cathol ...
. He frequently appears in the company of another Perugian patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholic Church, Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocacy, advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, ...
, Sant'Ercolano ( Herculanus of Perugia). His feast day is 29 January.
See also
* Abundius of Umbria, martyred in Umbria in 303.
Notes
References
Patron Saints at Catholic-Forum.com
*''The Book of Saints: A dictionary of persons canonized or beatified by the Catholic Church''. Benedictine Monks of St. Augustine Abbey, Ramsgate. NY: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1966.
*"A Reconstruction of Taddeo di Bartolo's Altarpiece for San Francesco al Prato, Perugia," by Gail E. Solberg. ''The Burlington Magazine'', Vol. 134, No. 1075 (October 1992)p. 646–656.
San Costanzo di Perugia
External links
29 January saints at Saint Patrick's Church
{{DEFAULTSORT:Constantius Of Perugia
170 deaths
People from Perugia
2nd-century Italian bishops
Saints from Roman Italy
Bishops in Umbria
2nd-century Christian martyrs
Year of birth unknown