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Saints Nereus and Achilles
Died c. 100. According to Pope Saint Damasus, Nereus and Achilles were
soldiers in the praetorian guard, who became Christians--baptized by Saint
Peter, it is said--and decided that they must give up fighting. They
escaped from the guard, but were discovered and sent into exile first to
the island of Pontia with Saint Flavia Domitilla and then to Terracina.
There in the reign of Emperor Trajan both saints were beheaded. Their
unreliable Acta, however, state that they were servants in the household
of Flavia Domitilla and were exiled with her.
The vault in which these martyrs were buried later became the cemetery of
Domitilla, situated on the Via Ardeatina. Later Christians erected a
church over the spot, and towards the end of the 4th century, Pope Saint
Damasus inscribed a tombstone in honor of the saints. It read:
"Nereus and Achilleus the martyrs joined the army and carried out the
cruel orders of the tyrant, obeying his will continually out of fear. Then
came a miracle of faith. They suddenly gave up their savagery, they were
converted, they fled the camp of their evil leader, throwing away their
shields, armor, and bloody spears. Professing the faith of Christ, they
are happy to witness to its triumph. From these words of Damasus
understand what great deeds can be brought about by Christ's glory" (Attwater,
Benedictines, Bentley).
In art, Nereus, Achilles and Pancras are presented as three richly dressed
boys holding palms. At other times they may be holding swords, or, when
pictured with Flavia Domitilla, as soldiers (Roeder). Sometimes just these
two are shown together without Pancras.
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Saint Pancras |
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Saint Pancras
(also known as Pancratius; San Pancrazio)
Born in Syria or Phrygia; died in Rome, Italy, c. 304. All that is known
of Saint Pancras is that he was buried in the cemetery of Calepodius on
the Aurelian Way, which was later named after him. According to unreliable
tradition recorded in Cardinal Wiseman's Fabiola, St Pancras was orphaned
and brought to Rome by an uncle, where both were converted to
Christianity. As a boy of fourteen, he was beheaded in Rome for his faith
during the reign of Diocletian.
Pope Saint Symmachus, c. 500, built a church to mark his grave. As in the
church of Saint Felix of Nola, oaths taken in Saint Pancras's church at
Rome, were esteemed to have a special sacredness. In the 7th century, Pope
Saint Vitalian sent some of his relics to England, where they are
enshrined in his titular church in London, which gave his name to the
borough and the railway station. Another church in Canterbury was
dedicated in his honor by Saint Augustine of Canterbury (Attwater,
Benedictines, Delaney, Hoagland).
When Saint Pancras is not pictured with SS. Achilleus and Nereus, he is
portrayed as a very young knight with a palm and pennant and having a
cross on his lance. He may also be shown as a young, unarmed Christian
martyr or with a Saracen under his feet. Pancras is invoked against cramp,
false witness, headache, and perjury (Roeder).
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