Saint Mercurialis
Encyclopedia
Mercurialis was the Christian
bishop of Forlì, in Romagna
. The historical figure known as Mercurialis attended the Council of Rimini
in 359 and died around 406. He was a zealous opponent of paganism
and Arianism
.
He has come to be venerated as Saint Mercurialis, around which fanciful legends have sprung. The legend states that he was the first bishop of Forlì, during the Apostolic Age
, and saved the city by killing a dragon
. He has often been depicted in this act, imagery that resembles that associated with St. George. His feast day is May 23.
The cathedral of Forlì
is named after him.
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...
bishop of Forlì, in Romagna
Romagna
Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
. The historical figure known as Mercurialis attended the Council of Rimini
Council of Rimini
The Council of Rimini was an early Christian church synod held in Ariminum ....
in 359 and died around 406. He was a zealous opponent of paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
and Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
.
He has come to be venerated as Saint Mercurialis, around which fanciful legends have sprung. The legend states that he was the first bishop of Forlì, 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...
, and saved the city by killing a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
. He has often been depicted in this act, imagery that resembles that associated with St. George. His feast day is May 23.
The cathedral of Forlì
Abbey of San Mercuriale, Forlì
The Basilica Abbey of San Mercuriale is the main religious building in Forlì, in Romagna ; the rather smaller cathedral was largely destroyed by fire in the 19th century.-History and overview:...
is named after him.