Saint
Adrian of Nicomedia
Born:
3rd Century
Died:
4th Century
Feast
Day: 4th March 8th September (translation of relics), 26th
August (Greek Calendar) 1st December on some calendars
Patron Saint: Arms Dealers, Butchers, Prison
Officers, Epilepsy, Plague, Soldiers, Flanders-Belgium, Germany
Symbols
in Art: Anvil at his feet, Anvil in his hand, Armour, Lion, Anvil, Sword, Axe
Shrine:
Argyropolis near Constantinople, Geraardsbergen, Belgium: Church of Sant ‘Adriano
al Foro, Rome
Saint
Adrian was a Pagan Officer in the Nicomedian Imperia Court. Emperor Maximian (305-311) hated the Christians
and promised rewards to informers. The Christians were rounded up, tortured,
and told to worship idols, which they refused. Adrian having seen the strength
the Christians had asked “What rewards do you expect from your God for your suffering?”
They replied, “Such rewards as we are not able to describe, nor can your mind
comprehend” The persecuted Christians impressed Adrian so much with their faith
that he declared himself to be Christian.
Even before he was baptised, he was arrested and tortured. He and his fellow prisoners were cared for by
his wife Saint Natalia, a secret Christian who rejoiced that her husband would
be martyred for the lord, until they were executed.
Adrian
was thrown to the lions, but they did not touch him. His legs were broken with an anvil and he was
hacked to pieces with a sword on 4th March 304. His body was burnt but a storm extinguished
the fire. His wife removed his
dismembered hand as a relic and took it to Argyropolis near Constantinople,
Other relics are housed at Grammont, (Geraardsbergen) Belgium.
An
army commander asked the emperor for permission to marry Natalia, but she hid
herself away. Adrian came to her in a
dream and said she would soon be at rest.
She died shortly afterwards.
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