Saint Chrysolius (french: Chrysole, Chryseuil) the Armenian is the
patron saint of
Komen/Comines, today in
Belgium and
France; his relics were venerated in the basilica of St Donatian,
Bruges. According to tradition, he was a native of
Armenia who fled to Rome during the persecution of
Christians by
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 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 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 bishop
[According 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 soldiers and condemned to be
decapitated; 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 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 depicts Chrysolius, along with saints
Hubert,
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 Chur ...
, and
Bernard.
The church of Saint-Chrysole was rebuilt in
neo-Byzantine style between 1922 and 1929, after its predecessor was destroyed in
World War I.
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
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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