Saint Chrysolius (french: Chrysole, Chryseuil) the Armenian is the

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of Komen/Comines, today in

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

; his relics were venerated in the basilica of St Donatian,

Bruges Bruges ( , nl, Brugge ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country, and the sixth-largest city of the countr ...

. According to tradition, he was a native of

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

who fled to Rome during the persecution of

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

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 ...

, was received by

Pope Marcellus I Pope Marcellus I (6 January 255 – 16 January 309) was the bishop of Rome from May or June 308 to his death. He succeeded Marcellinus after a considerable interval. Under Maxentius, he was banished from Rome in 309, on account of the tumult ca ...

and sent to northeast Gaul, where he evangelized at Verlengehem. According to his legend, he then became a spiritual student of Saint Denis and was sent with

Saint Piatus Piatus of Tournai (also Piaton, Platon, Piat, Piato) (died c. 286) was a Belgian saint. He was a native of Benevento, Italy, and is traditionally said to have been sent by the pope to evangelize the cities of Chartres and Tournai. Tradition also ...

to evangelize the area of

Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department and in the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, regio ...

and

Tournai Tournai or Tournay ( ; ; nl, Doornik ; pcd, Tornai; wa, Tornè ; la, Tornacum) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies southwest of Brussels on the river Scheldt. Tournai is part of Euromet ...

. Chrysolius then became a bishopAccording to André du Saussay, ''Martyrologium gallicanum'' (Paris 1637), noted in Smith and Wace. The historical bishoprics of this region date to the sixth century. and was subsequently stopped by

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

soldiers and condemned to be

decapitated Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the au ...

; the top of his skull was sliced off. According to his legend, the piece of his skull broke into three smaller pieces, and where each piece fell, a miraculous spring gushed out. Chrysolius, after recovering the top of his cranium, walked to Komen and died there, after crossing the ford at the river

Deûle The Deûle (; nl, Deule) is a river of northern France which is channeled for the main part of its course (from Lens to Lille). The upstream part is still partly free-flowing and is known as the Souchez. The Deûle flows into the Lys (right ban ...

that now bears his name.

Veneration

The waters of the springs where pieces of his head are said to have fallen were believed to cure ailments of the throat and eyes. The rosette in the façade of the church of Saint-Vaast at

Wambrechies Wambrechies (; vls, Wemmersijs; pcd, Vamberchi) is a commune in the Nord department, in the region Hauts-de-France, in northern France. It is part of the European Metropolis of Lille. It has a population of around 10,600 (2019). Geography Wam ...

depicts Chrysolius, along with saints

Hubert Hubert is a Germanic masculine given name, from ''hug'' "mind" and '' beraht'' "bright". It also occurs as a surname. Saint Hubertus or Hubert (c. 656 – 30 May 727) is the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and metalworkers ...

Benedict Benedict may refer to: People Names *Benedict (given name), including a list of people with the given name *Benedict (surname), including a list of people with the surname Religious figures * Pope Benedict I (died 579), head of the Catholic Chu ...

, and

Bernard Bernard (''Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern'' "bear" and ''hard'' "brav ...

. The church of Saint-Chrysole was rebuilt in

neo-Byzantine Neo-Byzantine architecture (also referred to as Byzantine Revival) was a revival movement, most frequently seen in religious, institutional and public buildings. It incorporates elements of the Byzantine style associated with Eastern and Orth ...

style between 1922 and 1929, after its predecessor was destroyed in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Image:Eglise St Chrysole Vitrail.jpg, Church of St.-Chrysole, Komen Image:Construction st chrysole comines.jpg, Construction of the church of St.-Chrysole, Komen Image:Eglise St Chrysole vue du beffroi2.jpg, Church of St.-Chrysole, Komen Image:Eglise Saint Chrysole de Comines - intérieur vu depuis le fond de la nef.jpg, St Chrysole, Komen. interior Image:Eglise Saint Chrysole de Comines - Choeur (vue générale).jpg, St Chrysole, Komen. interior Image:Eglise Saint Chrysole de Comines - tabernacle, ancien maître autel et ciborium.jpg, St Chrysole, Komen. Altar and ciborium Image:Eglise Saint Chrysole de Comines - intérieur.jpg, St Chrysole, Komen. interior

References

External links

Saint Chrysole

Saint Chrysole a donné son nom à plus d'un lieu à WambrechiesCatholic Online: ChrysoliusSaints.sqpn: Chrysolius
{{authority control 3rd-century Christian martyrs 3rd-century bishops in Gaul Cephalophores Comines-Warneton Armenian saints Executed Armenian people Armenian expatriates in France Armenian expatriates in Belgium