Mammes of Caesarea
Encyclopedia
Saint Mammes of Caesarea ; is a semi-legendary child-martyr
of the 3rd century. He was martyred at Caesarea
. His parents, Theodotus and Rufina, were also martyred.
Mammes was tortured for his faith by the governor of Caesarea and was then sent before the Roman Emperor
Aurelian
, who tortured him again. The Mammes legend states that an angel
then liberated him and ordered him to hide himself on a mountain near Caesarea.
Mammes was later thrown to the lions, but managed to make the beasts docile. He preached to animals in the fields, and a lion remained with him as companion. Accompanied by the lion, he visited Duke Alexander, who condemned him to death. He was struck in the stomach with a trident
. Bleeding, Mammes dragged himself to a spot near a theater before his soul was carried into heaven by angels.
The Cathédrale Saint-Mammès
, in Langres
, is dedicated to him. Mammes is the chief patron
of the diocese. The Diocese of Langres also honors as saints a number of martyrs who died in the persecution of Marcus Aurelius, such as the triplets, Saints Speusippus, Eleusippus, and Melapsippus.
with many churches and convents named in his honor. He is the patron saint
of Deir Mimas
in Lebanon
and of Kfarhata, which is adjacent to Zgharta
. The Church of Saint Mamas Church in Ehden
was built in 749 A.D. and is one of the oldest Maronite Catholic churches in Lebanon
. Lebanon is also home to the Saint Mamas Church of Baabdat
, which was built in the 16th century.
In Cyprus
, Mammes is popularly known as a poor hermit
who lived in a cave near the town of Morphou. According to local legend, he was a hermit living in very poor circumstances, and when the authorities tried to tax him, he evaded them. Soldiers were sent out and captured him, but on the way back to town, Mammes saw a lion attacking a lamb
, escaped the soldiers, saved the lamb, jumped on the lion's back, and rode it into town. His bravery earned him exemption from taxation.
Morphou has a celebrated church dedicated to Mammes. Since 1974, Turkish occupying troops have denied Christian Cypriots consistent access to religious sites, although they have generally allowed access to the church on Saint Mammes Day. However, during the 2008 celebration, access was once again denied.
Saint Mamas Church is one of the few in occupied Cyprus that is allowed to operate on its saint's name day. All other churches in occupied Cyprus have either been destroyed or transformed into various uses including stables.
named Agios Mamas (Saint Mammes in Greek) after him in Chalkidiki and Laconia
.
diffused his cult into Spain
.
A statue depicting Mammes and a lion can be found in the Casa de la Misericordia in Bilbao
, which was once the convent
of San Mamés and whose current chapel holds an alleged relic of the saint, a piece of bone from his craneum. The stadium that is home to the Athletic Club de Bilbao is called San Mamés Stadium
, and players of that club are called the "lions of San Mamés" because their stadium was built near these premises.
His head is said to rest in the parish church of Santa María Magdalena in Zaragoza
.
An alternative legend states that he was devoured by lions.
At Tábara
, also in Spain, he is venerated alongside Saint Blaise
.
" near Milan
, San Mamete is particularly venerated by women who have born a child, in order to obtain an abundant quantity of milk for the newborn. Special rites took place until recent times: the woman who felt the need to ask the help of the Saint went to the church bringing some bread and some cheese, which she placed them upon the altar for some time. Then she went out, and was obliged to offer the bread and cheese to the first person she encountered. She hoped, so doing, to get by San Mamete's mercy a lot of pan di fioeu ("bread of children", i.e. milk).
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
of the 3rd century. He was martyred at Caesarea
Kayseri
Kayseri is a large and industrialized city in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is the seat of Kayseri Province. The city of Kayseri, as defined by the boundaries of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, is structurally composed of five metropolitan districts, the two core districts of Kocasinan and...
. His parents, Theodotus and Rufina, were also martyred.
Life
Born in prison to parents who had been jailed because they were Christian, Mammes became an orphan when his parents were executed. After his parents' death, Mammes was raised by a rich widow named Ammia, who died when Mammes was 15 years old.Mammes was tortured for his faith by the governor of Caesarea and was then sent before the Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Aurelian
Aurelian
Aurelian , was Roman Emperor from 270 to 275. During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. Aurelian restored the Empire's eastern provinces after his conquest of the Palmyrene Empire in 273. The following...
, who tortured him again. The Mammes legend states that an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
then liberated him and ordered him to hide himself on a mountain near Caesarea.
Mammes was later thrown to the lions, but managed to make the beasts docile. He preached to animals in the fields, and a lion remained with him as companion. Accompanied by the lion, he visited Duke Alexander, who condemned him to death. He was struck in the stomach with a trident
Trident
A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
. Bleeding, Mammes dragged himself to a spot near a theater before his soul was carried into heaven by angels.
Veneration
The center of his cult was situated at Caesarea before shifting to Langres when his relics were brought there in the 8th century.The Cathédrale Saint-Mammès
Cathédrale Saint-Mammès de Langres
Langres Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and a national monument of France, located in the town of Langres. It was built in the twelfth century and is dedicated to the 3rd century martyr Mammes of Caesarea...
, in Langres
Langres
Langres is a commune in north-eastern France. It is a subprefecture of the Haute-Marne département in the Champagne-Ardenne region.-History:As the capital of the Romanized Gallic tribe the Lingones, it was called Andematunnum, then Lingones, and now Langres.The town is built on a limestone...
, is dedicated to him. Mammes is the chief patron
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 the diocese. The Diocese of Langres also honors as saints a number of martyrs who died in the persecution of Marcus Aurelius, such as the triplets, Saints Speusippus, Eleusippus, and Melapsippus.
Veneration in Lebanon
Saint Mammes is also a popular saint in LebanonLebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
with many churches and convents named in his honor. He is the patron saint
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 Deir Mimas
Deir Mimas
Deir Mimas is a picturesque town 88 km southeast of Beirut in Lebanon. Named in honor of Saint Mamas, the town overlooks the Litani River and the medieval Beaufort Castle to the west and the snow-capped summits of Mount Hermon to the east.-Agriculture:In addition to the cultivation of grapes, and...
in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and of Kfarhata, which is adjacent to Zgharta
Zgharta
Zgharta, or Zghorta is a large town in North Lebanon, with an estimated population of around 70,000.Zgharta is about 150 metres above sea level and lies between the rivers of Jouit and Rashein...
. The Church of Saint Mamas Church in Ehden
Ehden
Ehden is a mountainous town situated in the heart of the northern mountains of Lebanon and on the southwestern slopes of Mount Makmal and Kornet el Sawda, the highest peak in Lebanon...
was built in 749 A.D. and is one of the oldest Maronite Catholic churches in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. Lebanon is also home to the Saint Mamas Church of Baabdat
Baabdat
Baabdat is a town located in the Matn District of Mount Lebanon, 22 km from Beirut at an altitude ranging between 800 to 1050 meters above sea level. The lush pine forests that surround the town make it a very popular summer resort for those escaping the busy coastal cities of Lebanon,...
, which was built in the 16th century.
Veneration in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Mammes is popularly known as a poor hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
who lived in a cave near the town of Morphou. According to local legend, he was a hermit living in very poor circumstances, and when the authorities tried to tax him, he evaded them. Soldiers were sent out and captured him, but on the way back to town, Mammes saw a lion attacking a lamb
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
, escaped the soldiers, saved the lamb, jumped on the lion's back, and rode it into town. His bravery earned him exemption from taxation.
Morphou has a celebrated church dedicated to Mammes. Since 1974, Turkish occupying troops have denied Christian Cypriots consistent access to religious sites, although they have generally allowed access to the church on Saint Mammes Day. However, during the 2008 celebration, access was once again denied.
Saint Mamas Church is one of the few in occupied Cyprus that is allowed to operate on its saint's name day. All other churches in occupied Cyprus have either been destroyed or transformed into various uses including stables.
Veneration in Greece
There are numerous churches dedicated to Mammes of Caesarea in Greece and there are even villages in GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
named Agios Mamas (Saint Mammes in Greek) after him in Chalkidiki and Laconia
Laconia
Laconia , also known as Lacedaemonia, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti...
.
San Mamés: Veneration in Spain
Pilgrims on their way to Santiago de CompostelaSantiago 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...
diffused his cult into Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
A statue depicting Mammes and a lion can be found in the Casa de la Misericordia in Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
, which was once the convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
of San Mamés and whose current chapel holds an alleged relic of the saint, a piece of bone from his craneum. The stadium that is home to the Athletic Club de Bilbao is called San Mamés Stadium
San Mamés Stadium
Estadio San Mamés, AKA La Catedral , is a football stadium in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. The stadium is the home of Athletic Bilbao, known as "Los leones de San Mamés-Bilboko lehoiak" . They are known as Los leones because their stadium was built near a church called San Mamés...
, and players of that club are called the "lions of San Mamés" because their stadium was built near these premises.
His head is said to rest in the parish church of Santa María Magdalena in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
.
An alternative legend states that he was devoured by lions.
At Tábara
Tábara
Tábara is a municipality located in the province of Zamora, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 950 inhabitants...
, also in Spain, he is venerated alongside Saint Blaise
Saint Blaise
Saint Blaise was a physician, and bishop of Sebastea . According to his Acta Sanctorum, he was martyred by being beaten, attacked with iron carding combs, and beheaded...
.
San Mamete: Veneration in Italy
In some regions of Italy, above all in the so called "BrianzaBrianza
thumb|250px|The [[Corni di Canzo]].Brianza is a geographical area at the foot of the Alps, in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy.-Geography:...
" near Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, San Mamete is particularly venerated by women who have born a child, in order to obtain an abundant quantity of milk for the newborn. Special rites took place until recent times: the woman who felt the need to ask the help of the Saint went to the church bringing some bread and some cheese, which she placed them upon the altar for some time. Then she went out, and was obliged to offer the bread and cheese to the first person she encountered. She hoped, so doing, to get by San Mamete's mercy a lot of pan di fioeu ("bread of children", i.e. milk).