Saints Felinus and Gratian(us) (sometimes Gratinian(us)) (d. 250 AD) are venerated as martyrs by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. They are patron saints of Arona, near Milan, where their relics were enshrined. The city of Arona celebrates two groups of martyrs on March 13: Felinus and Gratian, as well as Carpophorus and

Fidelis Fidelis may refer to: ;People: * ''See Fidelis (name)'' ;Places: * Fidelis, Florida, an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. * São Fidélis, a municipality in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil * ...

. The festival of ''Tredicino'' is celebrated on the shores of Lago Maggiore.

Historicity

Baronius inserted the names of Felinus and Gratian names into the ''Roman Martyrology'', quoting as his authority the ''Acts'' preserved at Perugia. Sabine Baring-Gould writes, however, that "the so-called ''Acts of SS. Gratian and Felinus'', used as lections in the ''Arona Passionale'', are extracted from the Acts of SS. Florentinus and Companions, martyrs at Perugia commemorated the same day. But these Acts are in their turn not genuine; they are, in fact, the Acts of SS. Secundianus and Comp. (Aug. 9th)." The cult of Gratian and Felinus, therefore, rests on a shaky historical foundation. The garbling of lives and cults may have been purposeful, consisting of a mere alteration of the names of persons and places so as to make the ''Acts of Secundianus'' serve for Felinus and Gratian, and thus in the interests of Perugia.Sabine Baring-Gould, ''The Lives of the Saints: June''. (J. Hodges, 1874), 1. The oldest document concerning Felinus and Gratian dates from the tenth century.Pomi, Damiano. "Santi Graziano e Felino, Carpoforo e Fedele"
/ref> The manuscript is made up of 249 sheets in parchment and is written in Gothic script and in medieval Latin. According to the text, Felinus and Gratian were two soldiers of Perugia, who were converted to Christianity by the bishop of the city. During the persecution of Decius, they were martyred for their faith. Felinus and Gratian have been identified as being identical to two other martyrs: Gratilianus and Felicissima, with "Felinus and Gratian" being a simple misreading for the names of two actual saints"South transept spire", Duomo di Milano
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Carpophorus and Fidelis

Legend holds that the associated pair of martyrs, Carpophorus and Fidelis, were members of the Theban Legion, whose relics were transferred to Arona during a time of war between Milan and Como. Both Como and Arona claim the relics of Fidelis. The martyrdom of Fidelis is considered to have occurred on the north side of

Lake Como Lake Como ( it, Lago di Como , ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh de Còmm , ''Cómm'' or ''Cùmm'' ), also known as Lario (; after the la, Larius Lacus), is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the thir ...

, near Samolaco. His relics are considered to have been carried to Como in 964. In Arona, the presence of the relics of Fidelis and Carpophrous is attested in documents dating back to 1259 and 1321. Goffredo da Bussero (1220–1289 ca.), discussing a group of martyrs of the Theban Legion killed in Lombard territory, states: ''sed horum duo corpora ad monasterium de Arona dati sunt''. This group has been identified as

Carpophorus, Exanthus, Cassius, Severinus, Secundus, and Licinius Carpophorus, Exanthus, Cassius, Severinus, Secundus and Licinius (all died circa 295 AD) were Christians, Christian soldiers who, according to tradition, were martyred at Como during the reign of Maximian. Legends The cult of Fidelis of Como is ...

Veneration

In 979, the Count of Seprio, Amitto (Amizzone), captain of Otto I, transferred Felinus' and Gratian's relics, with the permission of the bishop, to Arona, and built a monastery dedicated to them. Amitto's foundation has been interpreted as a form of penance, since his soldiers had set fire to the

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...

of the basilica of

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls The Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls ( it, Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura), commonly known as Saint Paul's Outside the Walls, is one of Rome's four major papal basilicas, along with the basilicas of Saint John in the ...

. Charles Borromeo had become abbot '' commendatario'' of San Felino e San Graziano abbey in Arona on 20 November 1547. In 1576, Borromeo transferred the relics of Carpophorus and Fidelisto to Milan. Even though their veneration in Arona had been minimal, Borromeo's proposed transfer angered the people of the city. On March 13, as a compromise, Borromeo brought the two left forearms of the saints back to Arona. The city council, which had been pressured by the populace to bring back the relics, decreed that an annual festival should occur on that day. The day has increased in importance in succeeding centuries. The purpose of the festival was extended to include the celebration for the martyrs Felinus and Gratian, thereby unifying their veneration to that of Carpophorus and Fidelis. Relics of all four saints are conserved in the church of Santi Martiri, also known as San Graziano, in Arona. There is a statue of Felinus on the South transept spire of the Duomo di Milano.

References

External links

Felinus and Gratian

Santi Graziano e Felino, Carpoforo e Fedele
{{DEFAULTSORT:Felinus And Gratian 250 deaths 3rd-century Christian martyrs Saints duos Groups of Christian martyrs of the Roman era Year of birth unknown