Caecilius of Elvira
Encyclopedia
Saint Caecilius is venerated as the patron saint
of Granada
, Spain
. Tradition makes him a Christian
missionary of the 1st century, during the Apostolic Age
. He evangelized the town of Iliberri or Iliberis (Elvira/Granada
), and became its first bishop. He is thus considered the founder of the archdiocese of Granada, established around 64 AD. Elvira’s first bishop, according to the Glosas Emilianenses
, was Caecilius. Tradition states that he wrote some didactic treatises and that he was burned to death during the reign of Nero
.
He is one of the group of Seven Apostolic Men
(siete varones apostólicos), seven Christian clerics ordained in Rome
by Saints Peter
and Paul
and sent to evangelize Spain. Besides Caecilius, this group includes Sts. Hesychius
, Ctesiphon, Torquatus, Euphrasius, Indaletius
, and Secundius
(Isicio, Cecilio, Tesifonte, Eufrasio, Hesiquio y Segundo).
, a neighbourhood of Granada, celebrates on the first February each year the Fiesta de San Cecilio, when large crowds gather to celebrate the city's first bishop and Granada's patron saint
. The fiesta and abbey act as key instruments for the preservation, propagation and dissemination of Caecilius' legend, by which the city of Granada in the 17th century sought to redefine its historic identity, replacing its Moorish
past with fabricated (or re-discovered) accounts of Christian
origins.
The legend states that the catacombs of Sacromonte are the site of Saint Cecil's martyrdom, and the abbey preserves the supposed relic
s of Cecil and eleven other saints' bones, ashes and the oven in which they were believed to have been burned. It also possesses the inscribed lead plaques and books, the Lead Books of Sacromonte
, that were found with the supposed relics, but which were subsequently officially dismissed as forgeries.
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 Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
, 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...
. Tradition makes him a Christian
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...
missionary of the 1st century, during the Apostolic Age
Apostolic Age
The Apostolic Age of the history of Christianity is traditionally the period of the Twelve Apostles, dating from the Crucifixion of Jesus and the Great Commission in Jerusalem until the death of John the Apostle in Anatolia...
. He evangelized the town of Iliberri or Iliberis (Elvira/Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
), and became its first bishop. He is thus considered the founder of the archdiocese of Granada, established around 64 AD. Elvira’s first bishop, according to the Glosas Emilianenses
Glosas Emilianenses
The Glosas Emilianenses are glosses written in a Latin codex. These marginalia are important as early examples of writing in Basque and a form of Spanish...
, was Caecilius. Tradition states that he wrote some didactic treatises and that he was burned to death during the reign of Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
.
He is one of the group of Seven Apostolic Men
Seven Apostolic Men
According to Christian tradition, the Seven Apostolic Men were seven Christian clerics ordained in Rome by Saints Peter and Paul and sent to evangelize Spain...
(siete varones apostólicos), seven Christian clerics ordained in Rome
Rome
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...
by Saints Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
and sent to evangelize Spain. Besides Caecilius, this group includes Sts. Hesychius
Hesychius of Cazorla
Saint Hesychius is venerated as the patron saint of Cazorla, Spain. Tradition makes him a Christian missionary of the 1st century, during the Apostolic Age. He evangelized the town of Carcere, Carteia, or Carcesi, identified as Cazorla, became its first bishop, and was martyred there by being...
, Ctesiphon, Torquatus, Euphrasius, Indaletius
Indaletius
Saint Indaletius is venerated as the patron saint of Almería, Spain. Tradition makes him a Christian missionary of the 1st century, during the Apostolic Age. He evangelized the town of Urci , near the present-day city of Almería, and became its first bishop. He may have been martyed at Urci...
, and Secundius
Secundus of Abula
Saint Secundus or Secundius is venerated as a Christian missionary and martyr of the 1st century, during the Apostolic Age. He evangelized the town of Abula, which has been identified as either Ávila or Abla, and became its first bishop....
(Isicio, Cecilio, Tesifonte, Eufrasio, Hesiquio y Segundo).
Veneration
SacromonteSacromonte
Sacromonte is a neighbourhood of Granada, in Spain. It derives its name from the nearby Sacromonte Abbey, which was founded in 1600 on the hill of Valparaiso outside the old city, and is built over catacombs ....
, a neighbourhood of Granada, celebrates on the first February each year the Fiesta de San Cecilio, when large crowds gather to celebrate the city's first bishop and Granada's 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...
. The fiesta and abbey act as key instruments for the preservation, propagation and dissemination of Caecilius' legend, by which the city of Granada in the 17th century sought to redefine its historic identity, replacing its Moorish
Morisco
Moriscos or Mouriscos , meaning "Moorish", were the converted Christian inhabitants of Spain and Portugal of Muslim heritage. Over time the term was used in a pejorative sense applied to those nominal Catholics who were suspected of secretly practicing Islam.-Demographics:By the beginning of the...
past with fabricated (or re-discovered) accounts of Christian
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...
origins.
The legend states that the catacombs of Sacromonte are the site of Saint Cecil's martyrdom, and the abbey preserves the supposed relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s of Cecil and eleven other saints' bones, ashes and the oven in which they were believed to have been burned. It also possesses the inscribed lead plaques and books, the Lead Books of Sacromonte
Lead Books of Sacromonte
The Lead Books of Sacromonte are a series of texts inscribed on circular lead leaves, now considered to be 16th century forgeries.-History:They were discovered in the caves of Sacromonte, a hillside outside the old city of Granada, Spain, between 1595 and 1606, and comprise 22 volumes of "lead...
, that were found with the supposed relics, but which were subsequently officially dismissed as forgeries.