page_title: Cassian of Imola
section_title: Life
hierarchical_section_title: Cassian of Imola / Life
caption_attribution_description: "Cassianus (Cassian) of Imola killed by his students." From the Martyrs Mirror, this is an etching by Jan Luyken (1649-1712).
context_page_description: Cassian, or Saint Cassian of Imola, or Cassius was a Christian saint of the 4th century. His feast day is August 13.
context_section_description: Little is known about his life, although the traditional accounts converge on some of the details of his martyrdom. He was a schoolmaster at Imola, but rather than sacrifice to the Roman gods, as so ordered by the current emperor, Julian the Apostate, he was condemned to death and turned over to his own pupils. Since they were eager for revenge for the many punishments he had inflicted on them, they bound him to a stake and tortured him to death by stabbing him with their pointed iron styli, the devices then used to mark wooden or wax writing tablets. Cassian suffered in one of the persecutions of the third century, but in which cannot be assigned with any certainty.  
  He was interred by the Christians at Imola, where afterwards his relics were honoured with a rich mausolæum. His traditional date of martyrdom is August 13, 303, hence August 13 is his feast day on the Roman calendar. Cassian is the patron saint of Mexico City, Imola (Italy), Sukošan (Croatia), and of parish clerks. Comacchio Cathedral is dedicated to him. He is also the patron saint of the localities of San Casciano in Val di Pesa (Italy) and Las Galletas (Tenerife, Spain). St Cassian's Centre is named for him.
caption: Cassian being killed by his pupils.  From the Dutch Martyrs Mirror.
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