Saint Minias (''Minas, Miniatus'') ( it, Miniato, hy, Մինաս) (3rd century) is venerated as the first

Christian 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 ...

martyr of Florence. The church of San Miniato al Monte is dedicated to him. According to legend, he was an Armenian king or prince serving in the

Roman Army The Roman army (Latin: ) was the armed forces deployed by the Romans throughout the duration of Ancient Rome, from the Roman Kingdom (c. 500 BC) to the Roman Republic (500–31 BC) and the Roman Empire (31 BC–395 AD), and its medieval continu ...

– or making a penitential pilgrimage to Rome – who had decided to become a hermit near Florence. He was denounced as a

and in 250 AD brought before Emperor Decius, who was persecuting Christians. Miniato refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods, and was put through numerous torments – he was thrown into a furnace, was lapidated, and was thrown to a lion or a panther at an amphitheater – from which he emerged unharmed. Finally, he was beheaded near the present Piazza della Signoria, but his legend states that he picked up his own head. Miniato then crossed the Arno and returned to his hermitage on the hill known as ''Mons Florentinus'' (Monte di Firenze).

Veneration

Minias’ relics rest in a

crypt A crypt (from Latin ''crypta'' "vault") is a stone chamber beneath the floor of a church or other building. It typically contains coffins, sarcophagi, or religious relics. Originally, crypts were typically found below the main apse of a chur ...

in the church dedicated to him, begun by Alibrando (Hildebrand), Bishop of Florence, in 1013 and endowed by Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor. The historicity of the saint is uncertain. It is possible that there was a saint with this name who was martyred near the Arno. He may simply have been a soldier who was executed for spreading Christianity in the army. His cult may also have arisen from the fact that a

relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...

from a location in the East, such as Egypt, was brought to the church that would be known as San Miniato. The tradition of him picking up his own head—a hagiographic

trope Trope or tropes may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Trope (cinema), a cinematic convention for conveying a concept * Trope (literature), a figure of speech or common literary device * Trope (music), any of a variety of different things ...

—See a list of Cephalophore saints. was first recorded by Giovanni Villani.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Minias Of Florence Italian saints Armenian saints 3rd-century Christian martyrs 250 deaths Italian hermits Cephalophores Executed Armenian people Year of birth unknown