Saint Crescentinus ( it, San Crescentino, Crescenziano) (died June 1, 303) is the
patron saint of
Urbino whose
feast day
The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...
is celebrated on June 1. Venerated as a
warrior saint, he is sometimes depicted on
horseback
Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...
, killing a
dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
, in the same manner as
Saint George. However, as Martin Davies writes, "S. Crescentino’s story, so far as I am aware, excludes a
Princess or other female victim."
Legend
Crescentinus is traditionally said to have been a
Roman soldier who converted to Christianity. To escape the persecutions of
Diocletian
Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...
, he fled to
Umbria, and found refuge at ''Thifernum Tiberinum'' (present-day
Città di Castello). His defeat of a dragon led to a successful evangelization of the region, together with his companions. His mission was confined particularly to the
Tiber valley and the ancient ''Thifernum Tiberinum''. He was subsequently
beheaded.
Veneration
Wishing to enrich his cathedral, Blessed Mainard (Mainardo), the
Bishop of Urbino
The Archdiocese of Urbino-Urbania-Sant'Angelo in Vado ( la, Archidioecesis Urbinatensis-Urbaniensis-Sancti Angeli in Vado) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Province of Pesaro and Urbino in th ...
, brought the saint's
relics to the city in 106
The
coin known as the ''armellino'' (popularly called the ''volpetta'') issued by the
Duke of Urbino,
Francesco Maria I della Rovere, featured Saint Crescentinus on horseback.
[ :it:Monete italiane medioevali]
He is still venerated in Urbino, where his statue is carried through the streets in a
procession on his feast day. Another ritual involves tapping devotees’ heads with Crescentinus' relics, to free the supplicant from
headache
Headache is the symptom of pain in the face, head, or neck. It can occur as a migraine, tension-type headache, or cluster headache. There is an increased risk of depression in those with severe headaches.
Headaches can occur as a result ...
s
Gallery
Image:SaintCrescentinusKillstheDragon.jpg, ''San Crescenziano uccide il drago'' (Saint Crescentinus kills the dragon), Marco Benefial 1747–49. Cathedral of Città di Castello
External links
San CrescentinoL'omelia di S.E.R. il Cardinale Sergio Sebastiani
Notes
Further reading
{{Portal, Saints
Information about this saint may be found in the
Acta Sanctorum, as well as in Angelo Conti, ''Fiori Vaghi delle Vite dei Santi e Beati delle Chiese, e Reliquie della Città di Castello'' (1627), pp-45ff.
303 deaths
4th-century Christian martyrs
4th-century Romans
Year of birth unknown
Military saints