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Saint Mammes of Caesarea (Mamas, Mammas, Mammet, Mema; ; ; ; ; ) was a child-
martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, 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 external party. In ...
of the 3rd century, who was martyred at
Caesarea Caesarea, a city name derived from the Roman title " Caesar", was the name of numerous cities and locations in the Roman Empire: Places In the Levant * Caesarea Maritima, also known as "Caesarea Palaestinae", an ancient Roman city near the modern ...
.Vailhé, Siméon. "Caesarea." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 26 Feb. 2013
/ref> His parents, Theodotus and Rufina, were also martyred.
/ref>


Life

Born in prison to parents who had been jailed for being Christians, Mammes became an orphan when his parents were executed."Martyr Rufina of Caesarea, in Cappadocia", Orthodox Church in America
/ref> After their death, Mammes was raised by a rich widow named Ammia, who died when Mammes was 15 years old. According to legend, Mammes was tortured for his faith by the governor of Caesarea and was then sent before the Roman Emperor
Aurelian Aurelian (; ; 9 September ) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 270 to 275 AD during the Crisis of the Third Century. As emperor, he won an unprecedented series of military victories which reunited the Roman Empire after it had nearly disinte ...
, who tortured him again. The Mammes legend states that an
angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...
then liberated him and ordered him to hide on a mountain near Caesarea. Mammes was later thrown to the lions, but he managed to make the beasts docile by preaching to them. Afterward, a lion remained with him as a companion. Accompanied by the lion, he visited Duke Alexander, who sentenced him to death.Cousin, Jean the Elder, "St. Mammes and Duke Alexander", Web Gallery of Art
/ref> He was struck in the stomach with a
trident A trident (), () is a three- pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and historically as a polearm. As compared to an ordinary spear, the three tines increase the chance that a fish will be struck and decrease the chance that a fish will b ...
. Bleeding, Mammes dragged himself to a spot near a
theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...
before his soul was carried into heaven by angels.


Veneration

The center of his cult was situated at Caesarea and later shifted to Langres when his relics were brought there. The Cathédrale Saint-Mammès, in
Langres Langres () is a commune in France, commune in northeastern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Departments of France, department of Haute-Marne, in the Regions of France, region of Grand Est. History As the capital ...
, is dedicated to him. Mammes is the chief
patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...
of the diocese.


Lebanon

Saint Mammes is also a popular saint in
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
with many churches and convents named in his honor. He 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
Deir Mimas Deir Mimas (also spelled Deirmimas, Deir Mamas, and Deir Mimmas) (دير ميماس) is a municipality 88 km south of Beirut in Lebanon. Named in honor of Saint Mamas, the town overlooks the Litani River and the medieval Beaufort Castle t ...
in Lebanon. Grand festivities are organized each year when the town celebrates the feast of Saint Mamas on September 15. The town has both an orthodox monastery, which overlooks the Litani valley of Deirmimas, and a Melkite catholic church, located inside the village, named after Saint Mammes. Mammes is also honored in Kfarhata, which is adjacent to
Zgharta Zgharta (, ), also spelled Zghorta, is a city in North Lebanon, with an estimated population of around 50,000. It is the second biggest city in Northern Lebanon after Tripoli, Lebanon, Tripoli. Zgharta is officially the Zgharta-Ehden municipality ...
. The Church of Saint Mamas in
Ehden Ehden (, Syriac language, Syriac-Aramaic:ܐܗܕ ܢ) is a mountainous city in the heart of the northern mountains of Lebanon and on the southwestern slopes of Mount Makmal in the Mount Lebanon, Mount Lebanon Range. Its residents are the people of Z ...
was built in 749 A.D. and is one of the oldest
Maronite Catholic The Maronite Church (; ) is an Eastern Catholic ''sui iuris'' particular church in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. The head of the Maronite ...
churches in
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
. Lebanon is also home to the Saint Mamas Church of
Baabdat Baabdat () is a town located in the Matn District of Mount Lebanon, 22 km from Beirut at an altitude ranging between 600 and 1100 meters above sea level. The lush pine forests that surround the town make it a very popular summer resort for t ...
, which was built in the 16th century. Another Maronite Lebanese monastery called Dayr Mar Mamas is being restored by the town's folks of the rural village of Bechaaleh (also spelled Bechealeh) located in the district of Batroun in the north of Lebanon.


Cyprus

In
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
, Mammes is popularly known as a poor
hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Chr ...
who lived in a cave near the town of
Morphou Morphou (; ) is a town in the northwestern part of Cyprus, under the '' de facto'' control of Northern Cyprus. Having been a predominantly Greek Cypriot community before the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, the town is now inhabited by Turkish Cy ...
. According to local legend, he lived in very poor circumstances, and when the authorities tried to
tax A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...
him, he evaded them. Soldiers were sent out and they captured him, but on the way back to town, Mammes saw a lion attacking a lamb, escaped the soldiers, saved the lamb, jumped on the lion's back, and rode it into town. His bravery earned him exemption from taxation. St. Mamas Monastery is the third most important place of worship for the Greek Orthodox in Cyprus after St. Barnabas tomb at
Famagusta Famagusta, also known by several other names, is a city located on the eastern coast of Cyprus. It is located east of the capital, Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime ...
and
Apostolos Andreas Monastery Apostolos Andreas Monastery (; ) is a monastery situated just south of Cape Apostolos Andreas, the north-easternmost point of the island of Cyprus, in Rizokarpaso in the Karpass Peninsula. The monastery is dedicated to Saint Andrew and is an imp ...
at Karpasia.


Greece

There are numerous churches dedicated to Mammes of Caesarea in Greece and there are even villages in
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
named Agios Mamas (Άγιος Μάμας in Greek) after him in
Chalkidiki Chalkidiki (; , alternatively Halkidiki), also known as Chalcidice, is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos reg ...
,
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
and
Laconia Laconia or Lakonia (, , ) is a historical and Administrative regions of Greece, administrative region of Greece located on the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti (municipality), Sparta. The word ...
.


Spain (San Mamés)

Pilgrims on their way to
Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela, simply Santiago, or Compostela, in the province of Province of A Coruña, A Coruña, is the capital of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Galicia (Spain), Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city ...
diffused his cult into
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. A statue depicting Mammes and a lion can be found in the Casa de la Misericordia in
Bilbao Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the Provinces of Spain, province of Biscay and in the Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the List o ...
, which was once the
convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
of San Mamés and whose current chapel holds an alleged piece of bone from his cranium. The home stadium used by
Athletic Bilbao Athletic Club (; ), commonly known as Athletic Bilbao (), or simply Athletic, is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in the city of Bilbao in the Southern Basque Country, Basque Country, Spain. They are known ...
is called San Mamés Stadium, and players of that club are called the "''lions'' of San Mamés". His head is said to rest in the parish church of Santa María Magdalena in
Zaragoza Zaragoza (), traditionally known in English as Saragossa ( ), is the capital city of the province of Zaragoza and of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributaries, the ...
. An alternative legend states that he was devoured by lions. At
Tábara Tábara is a municipality located in the province of Zamora, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census ( INE), the municipality has a population of 950 inhabitants. Tábara is the capital of the Tierra de Tábara comarca. Tábara ...
, also in Spain, he is venerated alongside
Saint Blaise Blaise of Sebaste (, ''Hágios Blásios''; martyred 316 AD) was a physician and bishop of Sivas, Sebastea in historical Lesser Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey) who is venerated as a Christian saint and martyr. He is counted as one of the Fourteen ...
.


Italy (San Mamete)

In some regions of Italy, particularly
Brianza Brianza (, ) is a geographical, historical and cultural area of Italy, at the foot of the Alps, in the northwest of Lombardy, between Milan and Lake Como. Geography Brianza extends from the Canzo area, North of Monza (approximately ...
, north of
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
, San Mamete is particularly venerated by new mothers who wish to produce abundant breastmilk for a newborn. Special rites took place until recent times: the women who felt the need to ask the help of the Saint went to the church bringing some bread and cheese, which they placed upon the altar. The mother was obliged to offer the bread and cheese to the first person she encountered. This was hoped to achieve San Mamete's mercy through a lot of ''pan di fioeu'' (
Milanese Milanese (endonym in traditional orthography , ) is the central variety of the Western dialect of the Lombard language spoken in Milan, the rest of its metropolitan city, and the northernmost part of the province of Pavia. Milanese, due to t ...
and Brianzoeu for "bread of children", i.e. milk).The rite is described in Franca Pirovano, "San Mamètt e ’l pan di fioeu", in F.P. ''Momenti di folklore in Brianza'', Palermo, Sellerio, 1985, pp. 47-48.


Portugal (São Mamede)

The
Battle of São Mamede The Battle of São Mamede (, ) took place on 24 June 1128 near Guimarães and is considered the seminal event for the foundation of the Kingdom of Portugal and the battle that ensured Portugal's independence. Portuguese forces led by Afonso He ...
is considered a crucial event in the foundation of the
Kingdom of Portugal The Kingdom of Portugal was a Portuguese monarchy, monarchy in the western Iberian Peninsula and the predecessor of the modern Portuguese Republic. Existing to various extents between 1139 and 1910, it was also known as the Kingdom of Portugal a ...
. A number of places in
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
are named after this Christian saint;
São Mamede (Lisbon) São Mamede can refer to: * São Mamede (Batalha), a parish in Batalha, Portugal * São Mamede (Lisbon), a parish in Lisbon, Portugal * São Mamede (Paraíba), a town in Paraíba, Brazil * São Mamede de Este, a Portuguese parish * São Mamede de ...
, a quarter of
Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
;
São Mamede de Este SAO or Sao may refer to: Places * Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD * Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso * Serb Autonomous Regions (''Srpska autonomna oblast'', SAO), during the breakup of Yu ...
, a town in
Braga Braga (; ) is a cities of Portugal, city and a Municipalities of Portugal, municipality, capital of the northwestern Portugal, Portuguese Braga (district), district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality ...
;
São Mamede de Infesta São Mamede de Infesta, or simply São Mamede, is a former civil parish in the municipality of Matosinhos in the Greater Porto area, Portugal. In 2013, the parish merged into the new parish São Mamede de Infesta e Senhora da Hora. It has a popul ...
, a town in
Matosinhos Matosinhos () is a City#Portugal, city and a Concelho, municipality in the district of Porto District, Porto in Portugal. The municipality covers an area of approximately and had 172,557 inhabitants in 2021. It is bordered by the municipalities o ...
; the
Igreja de São Mamede Igreja de São Mamede is a church building in Évora, Portugal. It is classified as a National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's fou ...
, a church building in
Évora Évora ( , ), officially the Very Noble and Ever Loyal City of Évora (), is a city and a municipalities of Portugal, municipality in Portugal. It has 53,591 inhabitants (2021), in an area of . It is the historic capital of the Alentejo reg ...
; the
Serra de São Mamede Serra de São Mamede () is a mountain range in Portalegre District, Portugal. This range is named after Saint Mammes. Together with the Serra de Arraiolos, the Serra de São Mamede is one of the few places in the Alentejo region where there might ...
, a mountain range in
Portalegre District Portalegre District ( ) is located in the east of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Portalegre. As of 2021, it is the least populous district of Portugal. It borders Spain. Municipalities The district is composed of 15 municipalit ...
; a town in
Trofa Trofa () is a city and a municipality in the north of the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, from Porto. The population in 2021 was 38,548, in an area of . The city centre is formed by the parish Bougado (São Martinho e Santiago), which had 21 ...
, and
São Mamede, Paraíba São Mamede is a municipality in the state of Paraíba in the Northeast Region of Brazil. See also *List of municipalities in Paraíba This is a list of the municipalities in the States of Brazil, state of Paraíba, Paraíba (PB), located in th ...
, a municipality in the state of
Paraíba Paraíba ( , ; ) is a states of Brazil, state of Brazil. It is located in the Brazilian Northeast, and it is bordered by Rio Grande do Norte to the north, Ceará to the west, Pernambuco to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Paraíba i ...
,
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
.


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mammes Of Caesarea Saints from Roman Anatolia 259 births 275 deaths 3rd-century Romans 3rd-century Christian martyrs Christian child saints Angelic visionaries