Cerneuf
Encyclopedia
Saint Serenus the Gardener (also known as Serenus of Billom, Sirenatus) was a 4th century martyr
venerated by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
According to legend, he was born in Greece
, emigrated to Sirmium
in present-day Sremska Mitrovica
, and was known for his skill at gardening. He rebuked the wife of an imperial guard for walking in his garden and she told her husband, who reported him to the Emperor Maximian
. The governor found Serenus innocent of insulting the guard's wife, but had him beheaded anyway when he refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods. Parts of his story are probably fictitious. However, Paul Burns writes that “there may possibly be some historical basis to the...story...”
A portion of Serenus' relics were claimed by Billom
in the Auvergne
, in France
. Serenus became known as Saint Cerneuf in France, and there is a church dedicated to him at Billom. A tradition centered at Clermont-Ferrand maintains that St. Austremonius sent Cerneuf to evangelize Thiers
, also in the Auvergne.
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
venerated by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
According to legend, he was born in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, emigrated to Sirmium
Sirmium
Sirmium was a city in ancient Roman Pannonia. Firstly mentioned in the 4th century BC and originally inhabited by the Illyrians and Celts, it was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC and subsequently became the capital of the Roman province of Lower Pannonia. In 294 AD, Sirmium was...
in present-day Sremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica
Sremska Mitrovica is a city and municipality located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia, on the left bank of the Sava river. As of 2002 the town had a total population of 39,041, while Sremska Mitrovica municipality had a population of 85,605...
, and was known for his skill at gardening. He rebuked the wife of an imperial guard for walking in his garden and she told her husband, who reported him to the Emperor Maximian
Maximian
Maximian was Roman Emperor from 286 to 305. He was Caesar from 285 to 286, then Augustus from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent...
. The governor found Serenus innocent of insulting the guard's wife, but had him beheaded anyway when he refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods. Parts of his story are probably fictitious. However, Paul Burns writes that “there may possibly be some historical basis to the...story...”
Veneration
Billom
Billom is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.-People:It was the birthplace of philosopher Georges Bataille.Hugh Aycelin was a French Cardinal.-References:*...
in the Auvergne
Auvergne (province)
Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....
, in 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...
. Serenus became known as Saint Cerneuf in France, and there is a church dedicated to him at Billom. A tradition centered at Clermont-Ferrand maintains that St. Austremonius sent Cerneuf to evangelize Thiers
Thiers, Puy-de-Dôme
Thiers is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France. Thiers is twinned with Bridgnorth, England and Schrobenhausen, Germany.Thiers is built upon a hillside along the Durolle river valley...
, also in the Auvergne.