Pancras of Taormina
Encyclopedia
Saint Pancras or Pancratius (Greek
: , Agios Pankratios; ; ; , Svyatui Pankratiy) is said to have been born in Antioch
in Cilicia
(the modern Adana
). According to tradition
, he travelled to Jerusalem with his parents during the earthly ministry of Jesus
; later the entire family was baptized
in Antioch. Pancras withdrew to a cave in Pontus
where he was discovered by Saint Peter
and was sent to Sicily
in the year 40 to be the first Bishop
of Tauromenium (the modern Taormina
). There he met his death by stoning
at the hands of pagan opponents of the new religion.
in the Roman Catholic Church
, his cult being concentrated on the island of Sicily, where the veneration of saints from the eastern Mediterranean was particularly encouraged during the period of Byzantine
rule. He is the patron saint
of Taormina, and Canicattì
. His feast day was entered into the Roman Martyrology
as April 3; recently this was amended to July 8. More often he is celebrated on July 9, the traditional day of his martyrdom. The larger portion of his relic
s are preserved at Rome.
The Eastern Orthodox Church
venerates him as a Hieromartyr
on July 9 (July 22, N.S.). He is also, together with martyrs Marcellus and Philagrus, commemorated on February 9. The Greek calendar also commemorates, on June 7, the holy women Aesia and Susanna, disciples of Pancras and martyred with him. A portion of his relics are kept on Mount Athos
.
Saint Pancras of Taormina should not be confused with Saint Pancras of Rome, a young man who was martyred by being beheaded around the year 304.
In iconography, St Pancras is depicted as an old man with yellowing grey hair, vested as a bishop, holding a cross in his right hand, and a Gospel book in his left. The cross commemorates a miracle attributed to St Pancras whereby he saved the city of Taormina from destruction by the pagan commander Aquilinus. The Gospel represents his preaching of the Christian faith.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: , Agios Pankratios; ; ; , Svyatui Pankratiy) is said to have been born in Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
in Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
(the modern Adana
Adana
Adana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
). According to tradition
Sacred Tradition
Sacred Tradition or Holy Tradition is a theological term used in some Christian traditions, primarily in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox traditions, to refer to the fundamental basis of church authority....
, he travelled to Jerusalem with his parents during the earthly ministry of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
; later the entire family was baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
in Antioch. Pancras withdrew to a cave in Pontus
Pontus
Pontus or Pontos is a historical Greek designation for a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in modern-day northeastern Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region in antiquity by the Greeks who colonized the area, and derived from the Greek name of the Black Sea: Πόντος...
where he was discovered 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...
and was sent to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
in the year 40 to be the first Bishop
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 Tauromenium (the modern Taormina
Taormina
Taormina is a comune and small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Messina, about midway between Messina and Catania. Taormina has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th century...
). There he met his death by stoning
Stoning
Stoning, or lapidation, is a form of capital punishment whereby a group throws stones at a person until the person dies. No individual among the group can be identified as the one who kills the subject, yet everyone involved plainly bears some degree of moral culpability. This is in contrast to the...
at the hands of pagan opponents of the new religion.
Veneration
He is venerated as a saintSaint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, his cult being concentrated on the island of Sicily, where the veneration of saints from the eastern Mediterranean was particularly encouraged during the period of Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
rule. He is the 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...
of Taormina, and Canicattì
Canicattì
Canicattì is a comune in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 90 km southeast of Palermo and about 25 km east of Agrigento.-History:...
. His feast day was entered into the Roman Martyrology
Roman Martyrology
The Roman Martyrology is the official martyrology of the Roman Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. It provides an extensive but not exhaustive list of the saints recognized by the Church.-History:...
as April 3; recently this was amended to July 8. More often he is celebrated on July 9, the traditional day of his martyrdom. The larger portion of his 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 are preserved at Rome.
The Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
venerates him as a Hieromartyr
Hieromartyr
In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, a hieromartyr is a martyr who was also one of the clergy . In like manner a priest-monk is often called a hieromonk....
on July 9 (July 22, N.S.). He is also, together with martyrs Marcellus and Philagrus, commemorated on February 9. The Greek calendar also commemorates, on June 7, the holy women Aesia and Susanna, disciples of Pancras and martyred with him. A portion of his relics are kept on Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
.
Saint Pancras of Taormina should not be confused with Saint Pancras of Rome, a young man who was martyred by being beheaded around the year 304.
Depiction in art
External links
- Hieromartyr Pancratius the Bishop of Taormina in Sicily Orthodox IconIconAn icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
and Synaxarion - The Priestly-Martyr Pancratius from The Prologue from Ohrid San Pancrazio di Taormina