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Constantius (Theban Legion)
Encyclopedia
Saint Constantius is venerated as a member of the legendary Theban Legion
. Similar to the cults of Saint Chiaffredo at Crissolo
, Saint Bessus
at Val Soana, Saint Tegulus at Ivrea
, Saint Magnus
at Castelmagno
, and Saint Dalmatius
at Borgo San Dalmazzo
, the cult of Saint Constantius was linked with that of the Theban Legion to lend antiquity to a local saint about whom nothing was really known.
According to tradition, Constantius survived the decimation
of his Legion and fled to the Val Maira, today in the province of Cuneo
, with some other survivors. These included Constantine, Dalmatius, Desiderius, Isidore, Magnus, Olympius, Pontius, Theodore, and Victor. They dedicated themselves to preaching the Christian
religion, but all of them, except for Constantius, were soon killed by the Roman
authorities. Constantius buried his companions.
The local geologic formation known as Ciciu del Villar, which are columns formed by natural erosion, was connected with Constantius' legend: the stones are said to be the Roman soldiers sent to kill him, who were miraculously petrified before they could harm the saint.
According to tradition, Constantius was eventually beheaded
on Monte San Bernardo, where a sanctuary dedicated to him was built, known as San Costanzo al Monte. This sanctuary probably dates to Lombard
times; some eighth century sculptures remain. The sanctuary was rebuilt and altered in succeeding centuries, and the stone church was completed in 1190. A Baroque
façade was added later. The Benedictine abbatial
church of Santi Vittore e Costanzo, also in Villar, conserves some important archaeological remains, including a marble slab bearing vermilion symbols and worn down by the hands of the faithful.
Constantius’ cult became popular, with a pilgrimage to Villar by the faithful taking place every year.
Monsignor Tornabuoni, bishop of Saluzzo, declared Chiaffredo patron of his diocese during a synod of 1516, with Constantius as co-patron. Statues of Chiaffredo and Constantius can be found in the altar of the cathedral of Saluzzo. Due to his connection with the Theban Legion, Constantius is considered to have been of Egyptian
birth; this has led to his veneration in the Coptic Church.
Theban Legion
The 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...
. Similar to the cults of Saint Chiaffredo at Crissolo
Crissolo
Crissolo is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southwest of Turin and about 45 km northwest of Cuneo, on the border with France...
, Saint Bessus
Saint Bessus
Saint Bessus, sometimes Besse, is venerated as a member of the legendary Theban Legion, whose members were led by Saint Maurice and were martyred for their Christian faith in the 3rd century. Except for St. Maurice's cult, veneration for Bessus enjoyed a wider popularity than those associated...
at Val Soana, Saint Tegulus at Ivrea
Ivrea
Ivrea is a town and comune of the province of Turin in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. Situated on the road leading to the Aosta Valley , it straddles the Dora Baltea and is regarded as the centre of the Canavese area. Ivrea lies in a basin that, in prehistoric times, formed a great lake...
, Saint Magnus
Magnus of Cuneo
Saint Magnus of Cuneo is venerated as a member of the legendary Theban Legion. The center of his cult is situated at the mountain sanctuary known as the Santuario di San Magno, in the Valle Grana, Castelmagno, in the province of Cuneo....
at Castelmagno
Castelmagno
Castelmagno is a small comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 80 km southwest of Turin and about 25 km west of Cuneo....
, and Saint Dalmatius
Dalmatius of Pavia
Dalmatius of Pavia is venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. It is possible that Dalmatius was simply a local preacher of northern Italy, but the century in which he lived or the manner in which he died is unknown....
at Borgo San Dalmazzo
Borgo San Dalmazzo
Borgo San Dalmazzo is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km south of Turin and about 8 km southwest of Cuneo...
, the cult of Saint Constantius was linked with that of the Theban Legion to lend antiquity to a local saint about whom nothing was really known.
According to tradition, Constantius survived the decimation
Decimation (Roman Army)
Decimation |ten]]") was a form of military discipline used by officers in the Roman Army to punish mutinous or cowardly soldiers. The word decimation is derived from Latin meaning "removal of a tenth".-Procedure:...
of his Legion and fled to the Val Maira, today in the province of Cuneo
Province of Cuneo
ayr is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ....
, with some other survivors. These included Constantine, Dalmatius, Desiderius, Isidore, Magnus, Olympius, Pontius, Theodore, and Victor. They dedicated themselves to preaching the Christian
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...
religion, but all of them, except for Constantius, were soon killed by the 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....
authorities. Constantius buried his companions.
The local geologic formation known as Ciciu del Villar, which are columns formed by natural erosion, was connected with Constantius' legend: the stones are said to be the Roman soldiers sent to kill him, who were miraculously petrified before they could harm the saint.
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...
on Monte San Bernardo, where a sanctuary dedicated to him was built, known as San Costanzo al Monte. This sanctuary probably dates to Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
times; some eighth century sculptures remain. The sanctuary was rebuilt and altered in succeeding centuries, and the stone church was completed in 1190. A Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
façade was added later. The Benedictine abbatial
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
church of Santi Vittore e Costanzo, also in Villar, conserves some important archaeological remains, including a marble slab bearing vermilion symbols and worn down by the hands of the faithful.
Constantius’ cult became popular, with a pilgrimage to Villar by the faithful taking place every year.
Monsignor Tornabuoni, bishop of Saluzzo, declared Chiaffredo patron of his diocese during a synod of 1516, with Constantius as co-patron. Statues of Chiaffredo and Constantius can be found in the altar of the cathedral of Saluzzo. Due to his connection with the Theban Legion, Constantius is considered to have been of Egyptian
Egyptus
In Latter-day Saint theology , Egyptus is the name of two women in the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. One is the wife of Ham, son of Noah, who bears his children. The other is their daughter, who discovers Egypt while "it was under water"...
birth; this has led to his veneration in the Coptic Church.