Adrian of Nicomedia
Encyclopedia
Saint Adrian or Adrian of Nicomedia was a Herculian Guard
of the Roman Emperor
Galerius Maximian. After becoming a convert to Christianity
with his wife Natalia, Adrian was martyr
ed at Nicomedia
on March 4, 306.
It is said that while presiding over the torture of a band of Christians, he asked them what reward they expected to receive from God. They replied, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" . He was so amazed at their courage that he publicly confessed his faith, though he had not himself yet been baptised
. He was then immediately imprisoned himself. He was forbidden visitors, but accounts state that his wife Natalia came to visit him dressed as a boy to ask for his prayers when he entered Heaven
. Later, Christians took Adrian's body and buried him on the outskirts of Byzantium
, at Argyropolis
.
Natalia went to live there herself, taking one of Adrian's hands which she had recovered. When she herself died, she was buried with the martyrs.
, and one under Licinius
.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church
, Saint Hadrian shares a feast day with his wife on September 8; he also has feast days alone on March 4 and August 26. In the Roman Catholic Church
he is venerated alone, without his wife, on 8 September.
Saint Hadrian is protector against the plague, and patron of old soldiers, arms dealers, butchers and communications phenomena. He was the chief military saint
of Northern Europe for many ages, second only to St. George, and is much revered in Flanders
, Germany
and the north of France
. He is usually represented armed, with an anvil in his hands or at his feet.
Herculians
The Jovians and Herculians were the senior palatine imperial guard units of the Emperors of the late Roman Empire and the early Byzantine Empire from the 290s until the 7th century.-History:...
of the Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Galerius Maximian. After becoming a convert to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
with his wife Natalia, Adrian was martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
ed at Nicomedia
Nicomedia
Nicomedia was an ancient city in what is now Turkey, founded in 712/11 BC as a Megarian colony and was originally known as Astacus . After being destroyed by Lysimachus, it was rebuilt by Nicomedes I of Bithynia in 264 BC under the name of Nicomedia, and has ever since been one of the most...
on March 4, 306.
Martyrdom
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
. He was then immediately imprisoned himself. He was forbidden visitors, but accounts state that his wife Natalia came to visit him dressed as a boy to ask for his prayers when he entered Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
. Later, Christians took Adrian's body and buried him on the outskirts of Byzantium
Byzantium
Byzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
, at Argyropolis
Argyropolis
Argyropolis or Argyroupolis can refer to:* Gümüşhane in the Pontus .* Argyroupoli, a southern suburb of Athens, Greece, founded by refugees from Gümüşhane....
.
Natalia went to live there herself, taking one of Adrian's hands which she had recovered. When she herself died, she was buried with the martyrs.
Historicity
The accuracy of the recorded story has been questioned. Some sources state that there were actually two Adrians martyred at Nicomedia, one under DiocletianDiocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
, and one under Licinius
Licinius
Licinius I , was Roman Emperor from 308 to 324. Co-author of the Edict of Milan that granted official toleration to Christians in the Roman Empire, for the majority of his reign he was the rival of Constantine I...
.
Feast day and patronage
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, Saint Hadrian shares a feast day with his wife on September 8; he also has feast days alone on March 4 and August 26. In the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
he is venerated alone, without his wife, on 8 September.
Saint Hadrian is protector against the plague, and patron of old soldiers, arms dealers, butchers and communications phenomena. He was the chief military saint
Military saint
The military saints or warrior saints of the Early Christian Church are prominent in the history of Christianity...
of Northern Europe for many ages, second only to St. George, and is much revered in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the north of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He is usually represented armed, with an anvil in his hands or at his feet.