Carpophorus, Exanthus, Cassius, Severinus, Secundus, and Licinius (d. ca. 295) were
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
soldiers who, according to local tradition, were martyred at
ComoComo is a city in Lombardy, Italy, north of Milan. Situated at the southern tip of the south-west arm of Lake Como, it is the capital of the province of Como and directly borders the comunes of Blevio, Brunate, Capiago Intimiano, Casnate con Bernate, Cavallasca, Cernobbio, Grandate, Lipomo,...
during the reign of
MaximianMarcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius , commonly referred to as Maximian, was Caesar from July 285 and Augustus from April 1, 286 to May 1, 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn...
.
The cult of
Fidelis of ComoSaint Fidelis of Como was an Italian soldier-saint.-Legends:Fidelis' cult is associated with Carpophorus and Exanthus, two soldier-saints. Variations on their legend are applierd to Fidelis...
is associated with these saints. Variations on more or less the same legend concern them. The first says that he, with Carpophorus and Exanthus, were Roman soldiers (members of the famed
Theban LegionThe Theban Legion figures in Christian hagiography as an entire Roman legion — of "six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men" — who had converted en masse to Christianity and were martyred together, in 286, according to the hagiographies of Saint Maurice, the chief among the Legion's...
) who deserted during the persecution of Christians by
MaximianMarcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius , commonly referred to as Maximian, was Caesar from July 285 and Augustus from April 1, 286 to May 1, 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn...
.
Discussion
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Carpophorus, Exanthus, Cassius, Severinus, Secundus, and Licinius (d. ca. 295) were
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
soldiers who, according to local tradition, were martyred at
ComoComo is a city in Lombardy, Italy, north of Milan. Situated at the southern tip of the south-west arm of Lake Como, it is the capital of the province of Como and directly borders the comunes of Blevio, Brunate, Capiago Intimiano, Casnate con Bernate, Cavallasca, Cernobbio, Grandate, Lipomo,...
during the reign of
MaximianMarcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius , commonly referred to as Maximian, was Caesar from July 285 and Augustus from April 1, 286 to May 1, 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn...
.
Legends
The cult of
Fidelis of ComoSaint Fidelis of Como was an Italian soldier-saint.-Legends:Fidelis' cult is associated with Carpophorus and Exanthus, two soldier-saints. Variations on their legend are applierd to Fidelis...
is associated with these saints. Variations on more or less the same legend concern them. The first says that he, with Carpophorus and Exanthus, were Roman soldiers (members of the famed
Theban LegionThe Theban Legion figures in Christian hagiography as an entire Roman legion — of "six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men" — who had converted en masse to Christianity and were martyred together, in 286, according to the hagiographies of Saint Maurice, the chief among the Legion's...
) who deserted during the persecution of Christians by
MaximianMarcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius , commonly referred to as Maximian, was Caesar from July 285 and Augustus from April 1, 286 to May 1, 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn...
. They were caught and executed at Como. The second says that Fidelis was an army officer who was guarding Christian prisoners at Milan, including Saint Alexander of Bergamo. He managed to procure the freedom of five of these prisoners. With Carpophorus and Exanthus, he and these five attempted to make their way to the Alps, but were executed at Como. The martyrdom is considered to have occurred on the north side of
Lake ComoLake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 km², making it the third largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore...
, near
SamolacoThe commune of Samolaco is a municipality in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 90 km north of the regional capital Milan and about 40 km northwest of Sondrio...
.
Their feast day is August 7. The church of San Carpoforo at Como, was, according to tradition, founded re-using a former temple of the God
MercuryMercury was a messenger, and a god of trade, profit and commerce, the son of Maia Maiestas, also known as Ops, the Roman version of Rhea, and Jupiter. His name is related to the Latin word merx...
to house the remains of Carpophorus and other local martyrs.
Just Carpophorus was often venerated with
Fidelis of ComoSaint Fidelis of Como was an Italian soldier-saint.-Legends:Fidelis' cult is associated with Carpophorus and Exanthus, two soldier-saints. Variations on their legend are applierd to Fidelis...
, and both saints were in turn venerated at Arona with two other soldier saints,
Felinus and GratianSaints Felinus and Gratian are venerated as martyrs by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. They are patron saints of Arona, near Milan, where their relics were enshrined....
, on a joint feast day of March 13.