E02498: The Martyrdom and Invention of *Gervasius and Protasius (martyrs of Milan, S00313) is written in Latin during Late Antiquity, in Ravenna or Rome (and perhaps in the 5th c.), in the form of a letter written by Ambrose of Milan. It narrates the martyrdoms in Ravenna of *Ursicinus (martyr of Ravenna, S01408) and *Vitalis (martyr of Ravenna, S02825), and of Gervasius and Protasius in Milan; the brothers' bodies are stolen by a certain Philippus and later discovered by Ambrose in a marble sarcophagus, together with a booklet narrating their martyrdom.
Creators: name: Bryan
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2017
Subjects: History

description: Martyrdom and Invention of Gervasius and Protasius (BHL 3514)<br><br>Summary:<br><br>The Martyrdom is written in the form of a letter falsely ascribed to Ambrose. Paragraph numbers start at §17 following the Acta Sanctorum edition.<br><br>§ 17: Ambrose to the bishops of Italy. As said by the Psalmist, the Lord’s justice and mercy should not remain hidden. Thus we will tell you about the invention of the bodies of saints. <br><br>§ 18: During the last Lent, as I was fasting and praying, half asleep, I had a vision of two young men with shining garments praying, but I could not speak to them and the vision vanished. I fasted more earnestly and at dawn the two young men again appeared, and a third time on the third night. This time they were with the Apostle Paul, who told me that these two men had been martyred in Milan and were buried in the place where I prayed. I would find them beneath the ground in a sarcophagus (arca), and build a church in their name. When I asked about their names he told me that I would find a booklet (libellus) by their heads about their origin (ortus) and end (finis). I summoned all the bishops of the nearby cities, told them everything and supervised the digging. We found a sarcophagus as promised by Paul and inside the intact and fragrant bodies of the saints and a booklet by their heads in which everything was put into writing.<br><br>The letter then quotes the booklet: <br><br>Ego servus Christi Philippus, intra domum meam Sanctorum corpora cum filio meo rapui et sepelivi: quorum mater Valeria, et pater Vitalis dicti sunt; quos uno ortu geminos genuerunt, et unum Protasium, alium Gervasium vocaverunt.<br><br>'I the servant of Christ Philippus, with my son, stole and buried in my house the bodies of the saints: their mother was called Valeria and their father Vitalis; they begot them as twins in a single birth, and called one Protasius, the other Gervasius.'<br><br>§ 19: Their father Vitalis is a soldier; he arrives in Ravenna with the judge Paulinus and witnesses the capital punishment of Ursicinus, a Christian physician from Liguria. The place where Christians are executed is called 'at the palm' (ad palmam). After having been severely tortured, Ursicinus is to be executed, but starts losing his resolve. Vitalis however exhorts him to martyrdom and Ursicinus is martyred. Vitalis steals the body and buries it in Ravenna. Paulinus orders Vitalis to be arrested because he is a Christian and has encouraged Ursicinus to be martyred. <br><br>§ 20: Paulinus orders him to be tortured on a rack, trying to convince him to sacrifice. As Vitalis refuses, Paulinus orders him to be brought ad palmam, then a small pit to be dug, Vitalis to be laid in it and be buried alive under stones. The priest of Apollo who suggested this manner of death is possessed by the devil and after seven days, which he spends shouting at Vitalis' place of martyrdom, he dies by jumping in the river. Vitalis is buried next to the city of Ravenna and bestows many favours to all those who believe in the Lord, up to this day.<br><br>§ 21: Christians, and Vitalis himself in visions, prevent Valeria, his wife, from taking his body away. On her way back to Milan, worshippers of Silvanus try to bring her to feast with them, she refuses saying that she is Christian. They beat her most severely, she is brought half dead to Milan, and dies after three days. Gervasius and Protasius sell the house and all the possessions inherited from their parents, giving the money to the poor. They retire for ten years, reading, praying and fasting, then they are martyred.<br><br>§ 22: The count (comes) Astasius comes by Milan as he is going to fight the Marcomanni. Pagans ask him to compel Gervasius and Protasius to sacrifice. He orders them to be arrested and brought to him, and tries to convince them to sacrifice, but Gervasius speaks against worshipping idols. Astasius orders him to be scourged until he dies.<br><br>§ 23: Similarly Protasius refuses to sacrifice, fearing no punishment. Astasius orders him to be beaten and again tries to convince him. Protasius tells him that he hopes that he will be forgiven, as Christ wished forgiveness on those who crucified him, and that he is ready for martyrdom. Astasius orders him to be beheaded. <br><br>The text ends:<br><br>Quod cum factum fuisset, ego servus Christi Philippus abstuli cum filio meo furtim nocte corpora sancta, et in domo mea, Deo solo teste, et in ista arca marmorea sepelivi, credens me orationibus eorum consequi misericordiam Domini nostri Iesu Christi, qui cum patre et spiritu sancto vivit et regnat in secula seculorum, Amen.<br><br>'After that, I, the servant of Christ Philippus, with my son, took away the holy bodies secretly at night and buried them in my house and in this marble sarcophagus, with God alone as a witness, trusting through their prayers to obtain the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever, Amen.'<br><br>Text: Acta Sanctorum, Iun., III, 821-822. Summary: M. Pignot.