Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus
Encyclopedia
Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus were 3rd-century Christian
saints who suffered martyrdom during the reign of Caracalla
. Felix, a priest, Fortunatus and Achilleus, both deacons, were sent by Irenaeus
, to Valence
, to convert the locals. It is known that they died ca. 212.
, and through their preaching many people were coverted
. This led to the arrest of Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus. They were freed from prison
, by angels, who told them to destroy all the idols of the temples in Valence
. So Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus, destroyed images of Mercury
, Saturn
, and a particularly valuable amber statue of Jupiter
. For there actions the three were captured again, having there legs broken, followed by torture on wheels
. Having survived all of these torments they were beheaded
.
.
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...
saints who suffered martyrdom during the reign of Caracalla
Caracalla
Caracalla , was Roman emperor from 198 to 217. The eldest son of Septimius Severus, he ruled jointly with his younger brother Geta until he murdered the latter in 211...
. Felix, a priest, Fortunatus and Achilleus, both deacons, were sent by Irenaeus
Irenaeus
Saint Irenaeus , was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire . He was an early church father and apologist, and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology...
, to Valence
Valence, Drôme
Valence is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Drôme department, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon on the railway to Marseilles.Its inhabitants are called Valentinois...
, to convert the locals. It is known that they died ca. 212.
Legends
It is believed that after performing many miracles in the area of ValenceValence, Drôme
Valence is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Drôme department, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon on the railway to Marseilles.Its inhabitants are called Valentinois...
, and through their preaching many people were coverted
Conversion to Christianity
Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to some form of Christianity. It has been called the foundational experience of Christian life...
. This led to the arrest of Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus. They were freed from prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, by angels, who told them to destroy all the idols of the temples in Valence
Valence, Drôme
Valence is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Drôme department, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon on the railway to Marseilles.Its inhabitants are called Valentinois...
. So Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus, destroyed images of Mercury
Mercury (mythology)
Mercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...
, Saturn
Saturn (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Saturn was a major god presiding over agriculture and the harvest time. His reign was depicted as a Golden Age of abundance and peace by many Roman authors. In medieval times he was known as the Roman god of agriculture, justice and strength. He held a sickle in...
, and a particularly valuable amber statue of Jupiter
Jupiter (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove is the king of the gods, and the god of the sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon....
. For there actions the three were captured again, having there legs broken, followed by torture on wheels
Breaking wheel
The breaking wheel, also known as the Catherine wheel or simply the wheel, was a torture device used for capital punishment in the Middle Ages and early modern times for public execution by bludgeoning to death...
. Having survived all of these torments they were 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...
.
Veneration
Relics believed to be those of Felix, Fortunatus, and Achilleus, are venerated in Valencia, SpainSpain
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...
.
External links
- Sts. Felix, Fortunatus, & Achilleus Catholic Online
- Monks Benedictine Monks Book of the Saints, Kessinger Publishing, 2003