Saints
Nereus and Achilleus
Roman
Soldiers, Brothers?, 1st Century Martyrs
Feast
Day: May 12
Devotion
to these two saints goes back to the fourth century, though almost nothing is
known of their lives. They were praetorian soldiers of the Roman army, became
Christians and were removed to the island of Terracina, where they were
martyred. Their bodies were buried in a family vault, later known as the
cemetery of Domitilla. Excavations by De Rossi in 1896 resulted in the
discovery of their empty tomb in the underground church built by Pope Siricius
in 390.
Pope
Damasus wrote an epitaph for Nereus and Achilleus in the fourth century. The
text is known from travelers who read it while the slab was still entire, but
the broken fragments found by De Rossi are sufficient to identify it: “The martyrs Nereus and Achilleus had enrolled themselves in
the army and exercised the cruel office of carrying out the orders of the
tyrant, being ever ready, through the constraint of fear, to obey his will. O
miracle of faith! Suddenly they cease from their fury, they become converted,
they fly from the camp of their wicked leader; they throw away their shields,
their armor and their blood-stained javelins. Confessing the faith of Christ,
they rejoice to bear testimony to its triumph. Learn now from the words of
Damasus what great things the glory of Christ can accomplish.”
Our
own courage is enlivened by the heroes and heroines who have gone before us
marked by the sign of faith and the wounds of Christ.
Saints
Nereus and Achilleus, pray for us.
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