Facundus and Primitivus
Encyclopedia
Saints Facundus and Primitivus are venerated as Christian
martyrs. According to tradition, they were Christian natives of León
who were tortured and then beheaded
on the banks of the River Cea
. According to an account of their martyrdom, after the two saints were beheaded, lac et sanguis (“milk and blood”) gushed from their necks.
arose around the Benedictine monastery
dedicated to the two saints. The name Sahagún putatively derives from an abbreviation and variation on the name San Fagun ("Saint Facundus").
The 12th century work known as The Guide for the Pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela
states: Item, visitanda sunt corpora beatorum martirum Facundi scilitet et Primitivi, quorum basilicam Karolus fecit (“Furthermore, the bodies of Facundus and Primitivus must be visited, whose basilica was constructed by Charlemagne
.”).
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...
martyrs. According to tradition, they were Christian natives of León
León, Spain
León is the capital of the province of León in the autonomous community of Castile and León, situated in the northwest of Spain. Its city population of 136,985 makes it the largest municipality in the province, accounting for more than one quarter of the province's population...
who were tortured and 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...
on the banks of the River Cea
Cea River
The Cea River is a river of northeastern Spain. It is an affluent of the Esla River, and its course runs through the provinces of León, Valladolid, and Zamora. It is 157 km long. Its source lies in the municipality of Prioro, in León province. It arises from the spring called Fuente del...
. According to an account of their martyrdom, after the two saints were beheaded, lac et sanguis (“milk and blood”) gushed from their necks.
Veneration
The town of SahagúnSahagún
Sahagún can refer to:*Sahagún, Spain, a town and monastery in Léon, Spain. Cradle of the Mudéjar architecture*Sahagún, Córdoba, the second town in population in Córdoba Department, Colombia, also called "The Cultural City of Cordoba"People...
arose around the Benedictine monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
dedicated to the two saints. The name Sahagún putatively derives from an abbreviation and variation on the name San Fagun ("Saint Facundus").
The 12th century work known as The Guide for the Pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
states: Item, visitanda sunt corpora beatorum martirum Facundi scilitet et Primitivi, quorum basilicam Karolus fecit (“Furthermore, the bodies of Facundus and Primitivus must be visited, whose basilica was constructed by Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
.”).