Saint Quentin
Encyclopedia
Saint Quentin Quintinus in Latin, also known as Quentin of Amiens, is an early Christian
saint. No real details are known of his life.
citizen who was marty
red in Gaul
. He is said to have been the son of a man named Zeno, who had senatorial rank. Filled with apostolic zeal, Quentin traveled to Gaul as a missionary with Saint Lucian
, who was later martyred at Beauvais
and others (the martyrs Victoricus and Fuscian
are said to have been Quentin's followers). Quentin settled at Amiens
and performed many miracle
s there. Because of his preaching, he was imprisoned by the "prefect" Rictiovarus, who had traveled to Amiens from Trier
. Quentin was manacled, torture
d repeatedly, but refused to abjure his faith. The prefect left Amiens to go to Reims, the capital of Gallia Belgica, where he wanted Quentin judged. But, on the way, in a town named Augusta Veromanduorum (now Saint-Quentin, Aisne
), Quentin miraculously escaped and again started his preaching. Rictiovarus decided to interrupt his journey and pass sentence: Quentin was tortured again, then beheaded
and thrown secretly into the marshes around the Somme
, by Roman soldiers.
: discovery) the corpse and head (the place was unknown and she found it by prayer). The intact remains of Quentin came into view, arising from the water and emanating an "odor of sanctity" . She buried his body at the top of a mountain near Augusta Veromanduorum (because the chariot where the saint's body lay could not go further). She built a small chapel to protect the tomb and recovered her sight.
(mainly written in the seventh c.), says that the exact place of the tomb was forgotten and that the bishop, after several days of digging in the church, miraculously found it. When he found the tomb, the sky night was lit and the "odor of sanctity" was evident. This was said to be in 641. Recent archaeological research shows this to be false, because the location of the tomb had been marked by a sort of wooden monument since the middle of the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century.
Eligius distributed the nails with which Quentin's body had been pierced, as well as some saint's teeth and hair. As he was a skillful goldsmith
, he placed the relics in a shrine he had fashioned himself. He also rebuilt the church (now the Saint-Quentin basilica).
, especially in Northern France - as evidenced by the considerable number of place names derived from the saint's (see Saint-Quentin
). The tomb was an important place of pilgrimage, highly favoured by Carolingians (the church was one of the richest in Picardy).
This cult has three feasts:
October 31: martyrdom
June 24 : first inventio
January 3 : second inventio
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
saint. No real details are known of his life.
Martyrdom
The legend of his life has him as a RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
citizen who was marty
Marty
Marty is a 1953 teleplay by Paddy Chayefsky. It was telecast live May 24, 1953, on The Goodyear Television Playhouse with Rod Steiger in the title role and Nancy Marchand, in her television debut, playing opposite him as Clara...
red in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
. He is said to have been the son of a man named Zeno, who had senatorial rank. Filled with apostolic zeal, Quentin traveled to Gaul as a missionary with Saint Lucian
Lucian of Beauvais
Saint Lucian of Beauvais is a Christian martyr of the Catholic Church, called the "Apostle of Beauvais." He was killed in the 3rd century during the Diocletian persecution, although later traditions make him a martyr of the 1st century instead. This was because the church of Beauvais attempted...
, who was later martyred at Beauvais
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
and others (the martyrs Victoricus and Fuscian
Victoricus, Fuscian, and Gentian
Victoricus , Fuscian and Gentian are venerated as martyrs by the Catholic Church...
are said to have been Quentin's followers). Quentin settled at Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
and performed many miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s there. Because of his preaching, he was imprisoned by the "prefect" Rictiovarus, who had traveled to Amiens from Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. Quentin was manacled, torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d repeatedly, but refused to abjure his faith. The prefect left Amiens to go to Reims, the capital of Gallia Belgica, where he wanted Quentin judged. But, on the way, in a town named Augusta Veromanduorum (now Saint-Quentin, Aisne
Saint-Quentin, Aisne
Saint-Quentin is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France. It has been identified as the Augusta Veromanduorum of antiquity. It is named after Saint Quentin, who is said to have been martyred here in the 3rd century....
), Quentin miraculously escaped and again started his preaching. Rictiovarus decided to interrupt his journey and pass sentence: Quentin was tortured again, then beheaded
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...
and thrown secretly into the marshes around the Somme
Somme River
The Somme is a river in Picardy, northern France. The name Somme comes from a Celtic word meaning tranquility. The department Somme was named after this river....
, by Roman soldiers.
First inventio
Fifty-five years later, a blind woman named Eusebia, born of a senatorial family, came from Rome (following a divine order) and miraculously rediscovered (inventioInventio
Inventio is the system or method used for the discovery of arguments in Western rhetoric and comes from the Latin word, meaning "invention" or "discovery"...
: discovery) the corpse and head (the place was unknown and she found it by prayer). The intact remains of Quentin came into view, arising from the water and emanating an "odor of sanctity" . She buried his body at the top of a mountain near Augusta Veromanduorum (because the chariot where the saint's body lay could not go further). She built a small chapel to protect the tomb and recovered her sight.
Second inventio
The life of bishop Saint EligiusSaint Eligius
Saint Eligius is the patron saint of goldsmiths, other metalworkers, and coin collectors. He is also the patron saint of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers , a corps of the British Army, but he is best known for being the patron saint of horses and those who work with them...
(mainly written in the seventh c.), says that the exact place of the tomb was forgotten and that the bishop, after several days of digging in the church, miraculously found it. When he found the tomb, the sky night was lit and the "odor of sanctity" was evident. This was said to be in 641. Recent archaeological research shows this to be false, because the location of the tomb had been marked by a sort of wooden monument since the middle of the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century.
Eligius distributed the nails with which Quentin's body had been pierced, as well as some saint's teeth and hair. As he was a skillful goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
, he placed the relics in a shrine he had fashioned himself. He also rebuilt the church (now the Saint-Quentin basilica).
Cult
The cult of Saint Quentin was important during the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, especially in Northern France - as evidenced by the considerable number of place names derived from the saint's (see Saint-Quentin
Saint-Quentin
Places called Saint-Quentin include:*Saint-Quentin, Aisne, Aisne, Picardie, France*Saint-Quentin, New Brunswick, Canada*Saint-Quentin Parish, New Brunswick, CanadaSaint-Quentin is part of the name of several places, including:...
). The tomb was an important place of pilgrimage, highly favoured by Carolingians (the church was one of the richest in Picardy).
This cult has three feasts:
October 31: martyrdom
June 24 : first inventio
January 3 : second inventio