Saint Florus and Laurus | |
|---|---|
 A 15th-century Novgorod icon of Sts. Florus and Laurus | |
| Martyrs | |
| Born | Byzantium |
| Died | Illyricum |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | August 18 |
Saints Florus and Laurus are venerated as Christian martyrs of the 2nd century.[1] According to a Greek[2] tale, they were twin brothers who worked as stonemasons.[1] They were originally from Byzantium[3] but settled in Ulpiana, Dardania, south of modern Pristina, Kosovo[4] in the district of Illyricum.[5] They were educated in the art of masonry by two men named Maximus and Proculus,[1] who were Christians.[5]
According to their legend, Likaion, the prefect of Illyricum, employed the brothers in the construction of a pagan temple.[5] The brothers gave their salaries to the poor.[5] When the son of a local pagan priest named Mamertin was injured by a chip of stone from the saints' temple, Florus and Laurus cured the boy after the boy converted to Christianity. Mamertin also decided to convert to Christianity as a result of his son's recovery.[5]
After the temple was built, Florus and Laurus brought together many local Christians there. The group smashed all of the statues of the pagan gods, and a cross was set up in the temple.[5]
The Christians spent the whole night in prayer in the converted temple. As a result of this action, the local authorities had 300 Christians, including Mamertin and Mamertin's son, burned to death.[5]
Florus and Laurus were executed in a different manner; Likaion had them thrown down an empty well.[5] The well was covered over with earth.[5]
- ^ a b c "St. Florus & Laurus". Catholic Online. 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
- ^ Lives of the saints, Tome 3, by Alban Butler,Herbert Thurston,Donald Attwater,"FLORUS AND LAURUS, MARTYRS (DATE UNKNOWN) ACCORDING to a Greek tale Florus and Laurus were brothers, stonemasons, who were employed upon the building of a..."
- ^ Tortures and Torments of the Christian Martyrs: The Classic Martyrology by Reverend Antonio Gallonio,2004,page 204: "... Julitta, virgin and martyr, Saints Florus and Laurus, and many others. The two last named are commemorated in ..."
- ^ Elsie, Robert (2000). "The Christian Saints". University of Mississippi.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Martyr Florus of Illyria". Orthodox Church in America. 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2009.