Vincent of Saragossa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saint Vincent of Saragossa | |
|---|---|
 Scenes from the Passion of Saint Vincent of Saragossa and the History of His Relics, French 13th century vitreau |
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| Titles | |
| Born | ?, Heusca |
| Died | c. 304 |
| Major shrine | |
| Feast | January 22 |
| Attributes | Usually pontifical, episcopal, etc. insignia, tools of martyrdom and so forth |
| Patronage | Portugal; Vicenza, Italy, vinegar makers, wine makers. |
| "To you has been granted in Christ's behalf not only that you should believe in him but also that you should suffer for him."
Vincent had received both these gifts and held them as his own. For how could he have them if he had not received them? And he displayed his faith in what he said, his endurance in what he suffered. No one ought to be confident in his own strength when he undergoes temptation. For whenever we endure evils courageously, our long-suffering comes from him Christ. He once said to his disciples: "In this world you will suffer persecution," and then, to allay their fears, he added, "but rest assured, I have conquered the world." There is no need to wonder then, my dearly beloved brothers, that Vincent conquered in him who conquered the world. It offers temptation to lead us astray; it strikes terror into us to break out spirit. Hence if our personal pleasures do not hold us captive, and if we are not frightened by brutality, then the world is overcome. At both of these approaches Christ rushes to our aid, and the Christian is not conquered. St. Augustine of Hippo |
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Saint Vincent of Saragossa, also known as Vincent of Huesca, is the patron saint of Lisbon. His feast day is January 22 Catholic; November 11 Orthodox. He was born at Huesca and martyred under Diocletian in 304.
[edit] Biography
He was born at Huesca but lived in Zaragoza (Saragossa in English; also in the Aragon region of Spain) and is also known as Saint Vincent the Deacon. The title "deacon" (diakonos) means minister or servant.
Vincent served as the deacon of Saint Valerius, bishop of Saragossa. Imprisoned in Valencia for his faith, and tortured on a gridiron — a story perhaps adapted from the martyrdom of another son of Huesca, Saint Lawrence— Vincent, like many early martyrs in the early hagiographic literature, succeeded in converting his jailer. Though he was finally offered release if he would consign Scripture to the fire, Vincent refused.
The earliest account of Vincent's martyrdom is in a carmen (lyric poem) written by the poet Prudentius, (348 – after 405), who wrote a series of lyric poems, Peristephanon ("Crowns of Martyrdom"), on Hispanic and Roman martyrs, including Lawrence. Prudentius describes how Vincent was brought to trial along with his bishop Valerius, and that since Valerius had a speech impediment, Vincent spoke for both, but that his outspoken fearless manner so angered the governor that Vincent was tortured and martyred, though his aged bishop was only exiled.
[edit] Legacy and veneration
Three elaborated hagiographies, all based ultimately on a lost 5th century Passion, circulated in the Middle Ages.
Though Vincent's tomb in Valencia became the earliest center of his cult (it has been the subject of recent archeological research), he was also honored at his birthplace and his reputation spread from Saragossa. The city of Oviedo in Asturias grew about the church dedicated to Saint Vincent. Beyond the Pyrenees, he was venerated first at Régimond near Béziers, and at Narbonne. Castres became an important stop on the international pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela when the relics of Vincent were transferred to its new abbey-church dedicated to Saint Benoit from Saragosse in 863, under the patronage of Salomon, count of Cerdanya.
When the Catholic bishops of Visigothic Iberia succeeded in converting King Reccared (586–601) and his nobles to Trinitarian Christianity they built the cathedral of Córdoba in honor of St Vincent the Deacon. When the Moors came, in 711, the church was razed and its materials incorporated in the Mezquita, the "Great Mosque" of Cordoba.
The Cape Verde island of São Vicente, a former Portuguese colony, was named to honor him.
The 15th century Portuguese artist Nuno Gonçalves depicted him in his Saint Vincent Panels.
St Vincent the Deacon is also the patron of vintners and vinegar-makers.
[edit] Sources and references
- "The International Order of St. Vincent" a world-wide fellowship of lay ministers associated with liturgy and sanctuary service in the western branches of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
- Bryn Mawr Classical review: review of Michael J. Roberts, Poetry and the Cult of the Martyrs. The "Liber Peristephanon" of Prudentius
- Review of Victor Saxer, Saint Vincent, diacre et martyr, Culte et légendes avant l’An Mil (in French)
