Nazarius and Celsus

Saints

Nazarius and Celsus
Giovanni Antonio Merli, Saint Nazarius on a horse, 1480. St. Nazarius and Celsus Abbey, San Nazzaro Sesia.
Martyrs
BornRome (Nazarius); Gaul (Celsus)
DiedMilan
Venerated inCatholic Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
Feast28 July
Attributesdepicted as a man and boy walking on the sea[1]

Nazarius and Celsus (Italian: San Nazaro[2] e San Celso; German: Nazarius) were two martyrs of whom little is known beyond the discovery of their bodies by Ambrose of Milan.

According to Paulinus the Deacon's Vita Ambrosii, Ambrose, at some time within the last three years of his life, after the death of the Emperor Theodosius (d. 395), discovered in a garden outside the walls of Milan the body of Nazarius, with severed head. Nazarius's blood was reportedly still liquid and red when his body was exhumed by Ambrose.[1] Ambrose had it carried to the Basilica of the Apostles. In the same garden Ambrose likewise discovered the body of Celsus, which he had transported to the same place. The Catholic Encyclopedia states: "Obviously a tradition regarding these martyrs was extant in the Christian community of Milan which led to the finding of the two bodies."[3]

  1. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-07-11. Retrieved 2012-03-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ Also Nazzaro, Nazario
  3. ^ Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), "Sts. Nazarius and Celsus" Retrieved 2012-03-04.