Hermagoras of Aquileia
Encyclopedia
Saint Hermagoras of Aquileia (also spelled Hermenagoras, Hermogenes, Ermacoras) is considered the first bishop
of Aquileia
, northern Italy
. Christian
tradition states that he was chosen by Saint Mark to serve as the leader of the nascent Christian community in Aquileia
, and that he was consecrated bishop by Saint Peter
. Hermagoras and his deacon
Fortunatus evangelized the area but were eventually arrested by Sebastius, a representative of Nero
. They were tortured and beheaded
.
"Hermagoras" was always listed as the name of the first bishop of Aquileia. Hermagoras was probably a bishop or lector of the second half of the third century or at the beginnings of the fourth.
However, because the name or origins of the very first bishop was not known, Aquileian traditions, arising in the eighth century, made Hermagoras a bishop of the apostolic age, who had been consecrated by Saint Peter himself. As Hippolyte Delehaye
writes, "To have lived amongst the Saviour's immediate following was...honorable...and accordingly old patrons of churches were identified with certain persons in the gospels or who were supposed to have had some part of Christ's
life on earth." Thus, false apostolic origins were ascribed to Hermagoras and the church at Aquileia. The tradition that Fortunatus was Hermagoras' deacon is also probably apocryphal, but a Christian named Fortunatus may have been a separate martyr at Aquileia.
Hermagoras and Fortunatus may have been martyrs of Singidunum
(Belgrade
) who were killed there around 304 AD during the persecutions of Diocletian
. Hermagoras, or Hermogenes, was a lector
of Singidunum and Fortunatus was a deacon. Their relics may have been brought to Aquileia a century later, and that city became the center of their cult. And it was at Aquileia that their apostolic origins were created. Aquileia was one of the first cities in which the Christianity could be practiced unhindered; the Patriarch of Aquileia
was after the bishop of Rome the second most important person of the Western Church.
Their feast day was recorded as July 12, which is recorded in the Roman Martyrology
, the Church of Aquileia, and in other Churches. However, Venantius Fortunatus
does not mention Hermagoras in his works, but mentions the name of Fortunatus twice: once in a life of Saint Martin
: Ac Fortunati benedictam urnam, and the second time in his Miscellanea: Et Fortunatum fert Aquileiam suum. The Martyrologium Hieronymianum
mentions Hermagoras, but in corrupted form: Armageri, Armagri, Armigeri. However, there is additional confusion, as the Martyrologium Hieronymianum also lists "sanctorum Fortunate Hermogenis" under August 22 or 23. The Bollandists considered this simply a repetition of the same saints. However, the cult of Saint Felix and Saint Fortunatus of Aquileia were also mentioned in calendars for August 14.
Hermagoras' name survives in the Carinthian city of Hermagor
. His cult was also popular in Udine
, Gorizia
and Gurk
. The basilica of Aquileia today contains 12th-century frescoes, one of which depicts Hermagoras and Saint Peter.
The parish church
in Renče
is also dedicated to Saint Hermagoras and Fortunatus. Every second weekend in july there is also a small festival
in honor of these two martyrs.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Aquileia
Aquileia
Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times...
, northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. 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...
tradition states that he was chosen by Saint Mark to serve as the leader of the nascent Christian community in Aquileia
Aquileia
Aquileia is an ancient Roman city in what is now Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso , the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times...
, and that he was consecrated bishop by Saint 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...
. Hermagoras and his deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
Fortunatus evangelized the area but were eventually arrested by Sebastius, a representative 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....
. They were tortured and 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
However, because the name or origins of the very first bishop was not known, Aquileian traditions, arising in the eighth century, made Hermagoras a bishop of the apostolic age, who had been consecrated by Saint Peter himself. As Hippolyte Delehaye
Hippolyte Delehaye
Hippolyte Delehaye was a Belgian Jesuit who was a hagiographic scholar and an outstanding member of the Bollandists, who established critical editions of texts relating to the Christian saints and martyrs that were based on applying the critical method of sound archaeological and documentary...
writes, "To have lived amongst the Saviour's immediate following was...honorable...and accordingly old patrons of churches were identified with certain persons in the gospels or who were supposed to have had some part of Christ's
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
life on earth." Thus, false apostolic origins were ascribed to Hermagoras and the church at Aquileia. The tradition that Fortunatus was Hermagoras' deacon is also probably apocryphal, but a Christian named Fortunatus may have been a separate martyr at Aquileia.
Hermagoras and Fortunatus may have been martyrs of Singidunum
Singidunum
Singidunum is the name for the ancient city in Serbia which became Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It was recorded that a Celtic tribe Scordisci settled the area in the 3rd century BC following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans. The Roman Empire conquered the area in 75 BC and later garrisoned...
(Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
) who were killed there around 304 AD during the persecutions of Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
. Hermagoras, or Hermogenes, was a lector
Lector
Lector is a Latin term for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages the word has come to take various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as , , and . It has various specialized uses:...
of Singidunum and Fortunatus was a deacon. Their relics may have been brought to Aquileia a century later, and that city became the center of their cult. And it was at Aquileia that their apostolic origins were created. Aquileia was one of the first cities in which the Christianity could be practiced unhindered; the Patriarch of Aquileia
Patriarch of Aquileia
The Patriarch of Aquileia was an office in the Roman Catholic Church. During the Middle Ages the Patriarchate of Aquileia was a temporal state in Northern Italy. The Patriarchate of Aquileia as a church office was suppressed in 1752....
was after the bishop of Rome the second most important person of the Western Church.
Their feast day was recorded as July 12, which is recorded in the Roman Martyrology
Martyrology
A martyrology is a catalogue or list of martyrs , arranged in the calendar order of their anniversaries or feasts. Local martyrologies record exclusively the custom of a particular Church. Local lists were enriched by names borrowed from neighbouring churches...
, the Church of Aquileia, and in other Churches. However, Venantius Fortunatus
Venantius Fortunatus
Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus was a Latin poet and hymnodist in the Merovingian Court, and a Bishop of the early Catholic Church. He was never canonised but was venerated as Saint Venantius Fortunatus during the Middle Ages.-Life:Venantius Fortunatus was born between 530 and 540 A.D....
does not mention Hermagoras in his works, but mentions the name of Fortunatus twice: once in a life of Saint Martin
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
: Ac Fortunati benedictam urnam, and the second time in his Miscellanea: Et Fortunatum fert Aquileiam suum. The Martyrologium Hieronymianum
Martyrologium Hieronymianum
The Martyrologium Hieronymianum was a medieval list of martyrs, one of the most used and influential of the Middle Ages...
mentions Hermagoras, but in corrupted form: Armageri, Armagri, Armigeri. However, there is additional confusion, as the Martyrologium Hieronymianum also lists "sanctorum Fortunate Hermogenis" under August 22 or 23. The Bollandists considered this simply a repetition of the same saints. However, the cult of Saint Felix and Saint Fortunatus of Aquileia were also mentioned in calendars for August 14.
Hermagor
The Bezirk Hermagor is an administrative district in Carinthia, Austria.The district has an area of 808.02 km² and a population of . Hermagor's population density is nearly people per km²...
. His cult was also popular in Udine
Udine
Udine is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps , less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 99,439 in 2009, and that of its urban area was 175,000.- History :Udine is the historical...
, Gorizia
Gorizia
Gorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, and it is a local center of tourism, industry, and commerce. Since 1947, a twin...
and Gurk
Gurk (town)
Gurk is an Austrian market town and former episcopal see in the District of Sankt Veit an der Glan, Carinthia.thumb|left|180px|Gurk Cathedral.- Location :...
. The basilica of Aquileia today contains 12th-century frescoes, one of which depicts Hermagoras and Saint Peter.
The parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in Renče
Rence
Renče is a settlement in the lower Vipava Valley in the Renče-Vogrsko municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.The Parish Church in the settlement is dedicated to Saints Hermagoras and Fortunatus and belongs to the Diocese of Koper.-External links:...
is also dedicated to Saint Hermagoras and Fortunatus. Every second weekend in july there is also a small festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
in honor of these two martyrs.