Victoricus, Fuscian, and Gentian
Encyclopedia
Victoricus Fuscian (or Fulcian, Fulcien, Fuscien) and Gentian (or Gentien) (died 287 or 303) are venerated as martyr
s by the Catholic Church. Their feast day
falls on December 11.
who were preaching the Christian religion in the city of Therouanne
and in the areas inhabited by the people known as the Morini
. They were followers of Saint Quentin
, as well as of Crispin and Crispinian.
Near Amiens
, they met Gentian, who warned them that Christians were being killed for their faith. Later, the governor Rictius Varus
(Rictiovarus) questioned Gentian about the whereabouts of Victoricus and Fuscian. Gentian refused to tell him and was consequently beheaded
. According to the Golden Legend
, the governor later brought Victoricus and Fuscian to Amiens. "Then he did do take broches of iron and put them through their ears and through their nostrils, and after did do smite off their heads. And by the will and power of our Lord, they arose up, and took their heads in their hands
, and bare them two miles far from the place where they had been beheaded." It is said that all three were buried at the place called Saint-Fuscien
.
(d. ca. 600), seventh bishop of Amiens, is said to have discovered in his diocese the relics of Fuscian, Victoricus, and Gentian. It is said that Childebert
had attempted to possess their relics, but was prevented from removing them. Subsequently, the king made generous gifts to endow the cult of the three saints and sent goldsmith
s to fashion decorative pieces in their honor.
Statues of Fuscian , Gentian and Victoricus stand in the left portal of Amiens Cathedral
.
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During the 7th century, Saint Audomare
(Omer) re-evangelized the same area.
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s by the Catholic Church. Their feast day
Calendar of saints
The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the feast day of said saint...
falls on December 11.
Hagiography
According to tradition, Victoricus and Fuscian were missionaries from the city of RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
who were preaching the Christian religion in the city of Therouanne
Thérouanne
Thérouanne is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Thérouanne is located 10 miles southwest of Saint-Omer, on the D157 and D341 road junction.-Population:-History:...
and in the areas inhabited by the people known as the Morini
Morini
The Morini were a Belgic tribe in the time of the Roman Empire. We know little about their language but one of their cities, Boulogne-sur-Mer was called Bononia by Zosimus and Bonen in the Middle Ages. Zosimus mentioned the Low Germanic character of the city...
. They were followers of Saint Quentin
Saint Quentin
Saint Quentin , Quintinus in Latin, also known as Quentin of Amiens, is an early Christian saint. No real details are known of his life.-Martyrdom:...
, as well as of Crispin and Crispinian.
Near 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...
, they met Gentian, who warned them that Christians were being killed for their faith. Later, the governor Rictius Varus
Rictius Varus
Rictius Varus was reportedly a prefect in Roman Gaul at the end of the third century. He was appointed by the Emperor Maximian, and severely persecuted Christians. He is mentioned in Christian martyrologies...
(Rictiovarus) questioned Gentian about the whereabouts of Victoricus and Fuscian. Gentian refused to tell him and was consequently 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...
. According to the Golden Legend
Golden Legend
The Golden Legend is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that became a late medieval bestseller. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived, compared to twenty or so of its nearest rivals...
, the governor later brought Victoricus and Fuscian to Amiens. "Then he did do take broches of iron and put them through their ears and through their nostrils, and after did do smite off their heads. And by the will and power of our Lord, they arose up, and took their heads in their hands
Cephalophore
A cephalophore is a saint who is generally depicted carrying his or her own head; in art, this was usually meant to signify that the subject in question had been martyred by beheading....
, and bare them two miles far from the place where they had been beheaded." It is said that all three were buried at the place called Saint-Fuscien
Saint-Fuscien
Saint-Fuscien is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France. The name of the commune in picard is Saint-Fuschien.-Geography:The commune is situated some south of Amiens, on the D7 road.-History:...
.
Veneration
Honoratus of AmiensHonoratus of Amiens
Saint Honoratus of Amiens was the seventh bishop of Amiens. His feast day is May 16.-Life:...
(d. ca. 600), seventh bishop of Amiens, is said to have discovered in his diocese the relics of Fuscian, Victoricus, and Gentian. It is said that Childebert
Childebert II
.Childebert II was the Merovingian king of Austrasia, which included Provence at the time, from 575 until his death in 595, the eldest and succeeding son of Sigebert I, and the king of Burgundy from 592 to his death, as the adopted and succeeding son of his uncle Guntram.-Childhood:When his father...
had attempted to possess their relics, but was prevented from removing them. Subsequently, the king made generous gifts to endow the cult of the three saints and sent 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...
s to fashion decorative pieces in their honor.
Statues of Fuscian , Gentian and Victoricus stand in the left portal of Amiens Cathedral
Amiens Cathedral
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens , or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral and seat of the Bishop of Amiens...
.
Saint Audomare
Saint Audomar , better known as Saint Omer, was a Burgundy-born bishop of Thérouanne, after whom nearby Saint-Omer in northern France was named.-Biography:...
(Omer) re-evangelized the same area.