Tarcisius
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St. Tarcisius (or Tarsicius) (Italian and Spanish: San Tarsicio or Tarcisio) was a martyr of the early Christian church. Little is known about him for sure - he lived in either the 3rd or 4th century - except that, as recounted in a metrical inscription by Pope Damasus, he was a teenager around 13-15 years old who died by being stoned to death, because he refused to give up the Eucharist to a pagan mob. His relics rest in the San Silvestro in Capite church in Rome. His feast day is celebrated on 15 August, but, since that day is occupied by the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, he is not mentioned in the General Roman Calendar, but only in the Roman Martyrology.
He is the patron saint of altar servers and first communicants.
[edit] Trivia
- A 35-kg bell in the Stephansdom in Vienna is named after him.
- Blessed José Sánchez del Río was nicknamed "Tarcisius."
[edit] External links
- Tarsicius at the Catholic Encyclopedia
- Catholic Online: Tarcisius
- (Spanish) San Tarsicio
- (Italian) San Tarcisio
- This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.
