Pancras of Taormina

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Saint Pancras (Greek: Άγιος Παγγρατιος/Agios Pankratios; Latin: Sanctus Pancratius; Italian: San Pancrazio; Slavonic: Святы Панкратий/Svyatui Pankratiy) is said to have been born in Antioch in Cilicia (the modern Adana). According to tradition, he travelled to Jerusalem with his parents during the earthly ministry of Jesus; later they were later baptized in Antioch. Pancras withdrew to a cave in Pontus where he was discovered by Saint Peter and was sent to Sicily in the year 40 to be the first bishop of Tauromenium (the modern Taormina). There he met his death by stoning at the hands of Pagan opponents of the new religion. He is venerated as a saint primarily in the Roman Catholic Church, his cult being concentrated on the island of Sicily, where the veneration of saints from the eastern Mediterranean was particularly encouraged during the period of Byzantine rule. He is the patron saint of Taormina, and Canicattì. His feast day was entered into the Roman Martyrology as April 3; recently this was amended to July 8. More often he is celebrated on July 9, the traditional day of his martyrdom.

The Eastern Orthodox Church also venerates him on July 9 (July 22, N.S.). The Greek calendar also commemorates, on June 7, the holy women Aesia and Susanna, disciples of Pancras and martyred with him.

[edit] Depiction in art

In iconography, St Pancras is depicted as an old man with yellowing grey hair, vested as a bishop and holding a cross and a Gospel book. The cross commemorates a miracle attributed to St Pancras whereby he saved the city of Taormina from destruction by the Pagan commander Aquilinus.

[edit] References

Fabio Arduino. San Pancrazio di Taormina Vescovo e martire (Italian). Santi, beati e testimoni.
Nikolai Velimirovich. The Prolog of Ohrid: July 9. Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of Western America.