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Constantius of Perugia (also known as Costantius, Constance or Costanzo) (died c. 170 AD) is one of the patron saints of Perugia, Italy.


Legend

According to his legend, of which four versions exist, he was arrested during the persecutions of Antoninus (some sources say Marcus Aurelius) 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. 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 aroun ...
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 so ...
.San Costanzo di Perugia
/ref> Local tradition makes him the first bishop of Perugia. This tradition states that he became the first bishop of the city at the age of 30. He was active in evangelism and care for the poor.


Veneration

His cult was diffused beyond Umbria. 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. The accounts of his martyrdom state that his body was carried to Perugia and buried near the site of the present-day cathedral 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 The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...
, "torcolo", a ring-shaped cake made of pine nuts, raisins, and dried fruit, is a traditional food in Perugia. In art, Costantius is often represented as a bishop wearing a mitre 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 Catholi ...
. He frequently appears in the company of another Perugian patron saint, Sant'Ercolano ( Herculanus of Perugia). His
feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...
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