Cephalophore

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A cephalophore (from the Greek for "head-carrier") is a saint who is generally depicted carrying his head in his hands; in art, this was usually meant to signify that the subject in question had been martyred by beheading. Perhaps the most famous cephalophore is Denis. Others include Justus of Beauvais, Juthwara, Nectan, Winefride and Wyllow. Saint Cuthbert of Lindisfarne is often depicted with his head on his shoulders, carrying a second head in his hands. He was not a cephalophore. The second head is that of Saint Oswald of Northumbria, buried with him at Durham Cathedral.

A related legend is told of Nicasius of Rheims: at the moment of his execution, Nicasius was reading Psalm 119 (Psalm 118 in the Vulgate). When he reached the verse "Adhaesit pavimento anima mea" (Psalms 119:25), he was decapitated. However, the story goes that after his head had fallen to the ground, Nicasius continued the psalm, adding, "Vivifica me, Domine, secundum verbum tuum."[1]

Saint Gemolo is also said to have survived his decapitation and, collecting his own head, climbed on horseback, and reunited with his uncle, a bishop, on a small mountain before he finally died.