Chrysolius
Encyclopedia
Saint Chrysolius the Armenian is the patron saint
of Komen, in Belgium
; his relics were venerated in the basilica of St Donatian, Bruges
. According to tradition, he was a native of Armenia
who fled to Rome during the persecution of Christians by Diocletian
, was received by Pope Marcellus I
and sent to northeast Gaul, where he evangelized at Verlengehem. According to his legend, he then became a spiritual student of Saint Denis
and was sent with Saint Piatus
to evangelize the area of Cambrai
and Tournai
. Chrysolius then became a bishop and was subsequently stopped by Roman
soldiers and condemned to be decapitated
; the top of his skull was sliced off. According to his legend, the piece of his skull broke into three smaller pieces, and where each piece fell, a miraculous spring gushed out. Chrysolius, after recovering the top of his cranium
, walked to Komen and died there, after crossing the ford at the Deule River that now bears his name.
The rosette in the façade of the church of Saint-Vaast at Wambrechies
depicts Chrysolius, along with saints Hubert
, Benedict
, and Bernard.
The church of Saint-Chrysole was rebuilt in neo-Byzantine style between 1922–1929, after its predecessor was destroyed in World War I
.
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Komen, in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
; his relics were venerated in the basilica of St Donatian, Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
. According to tradition, he was a native of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
who fled to Rome during the persecution of Christians by Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
, was received by Pope Marcellus I
Pope Marcellus I
Pope Saint Marcellus I, pope from May 308 to 309, succeeded Marcellinus, after a considerable interval, most probably in May or June 308.Under Maxentius he was banished from Rome in 309 on account of the tumult caused by the severity of the penances he had imposed on Christians who had lapsed under...
and sent to northeast Gaul, where he evangelized at Verlengehem. According to his legend, he then became a spiritual student of Saint Denis
Denis
Saint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
and was sent with Saint Piatus
Saint Piatus
Saint Piatus of Tournai was a Belgian saint. He was a native of Benevento, and is traditionally said to have been sent by the pope to evangelize the cities of Chartres and Tournai. Tradition also states that he was ordained by Dionysios the Areopagite...
to evangelize the area of Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
and Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
. Chrysolius then became a bishop and was subsequently stopped by Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
soldiers and condemned to be decapitated
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
; the top of his skull was sliced off. According to his legend, the piece of his skull broke into three smaller pieces, and where each piece fell, a miraculous spring gushed out. Chrysolius, after recovering the top of his cranium
Cephalophore
A cephalophore is a saint who is generally depicted carrying his or her own head; in art, this was usually meant to signify that the subject in question had been martyred by beheading....
, walked to Komen and died there, after crossing the ford at the Deule River that now bears his name.
Veneration
The waters of the springs where pieces of his head are said to have fallen were believed to cure ailments of the throat and eyes.The rosette in the façade of the church of Saint-Vaast at Wambrechies
Wambrechies
-References:*...
depicts Chrysolius, along with saints Hubert
Hubertus
Saint Hubertus or Hubert , called the "Apostle of the Ardennes" was the first Bishop of Liège...
, Benedict
Benedict of Nursia
Saint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...
, and Bernard.
The church of Saint-Chrysole was rebuilt in neo-Byzantine style between 1922–1929, after its predecessor was destroyed in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.