View source for Gervasius and Protasius

{{Short description|Christian saints and martyrs}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox saint
|honorific_prefix=Saints
|name=Gervasius and Protasius
|birth_date=
|death_date=2nd century [[AD]]
|feast_day=19 June ([[Catholic Church]])<br>14 October ([[Eastern Orthodox Church]])
|venerated_in=[[Roman Catholic Church]]; [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]
|image=Gervaseandprotase.jpg
|caption="''The martyrdom of Saints Gervase and Protase''," from a 14th-century manuscript.
|birth_place=[[Milan]] 
|death_place=[[Milan]]
|titles=Martyrs 
|beatified_date=  
|beatified_place=
|beatified_by=
|canonized_date=
|canonized_place=
|canonized_by=
|attributes=the [[scourge]], the [[Club (weapon)|club]] and the [[sword]]<ref name="Stracke">{{cite web |last1=Stracke |first1=Richard |title= Gervasius and Protasius: The Iconography | url = http://www.christianiconography.info/gervaseProtasius.html  |website=Christian Iconography | date=2015-10-20}}</ref>
|patronage=[[Milan]]; [[Breisach]]; [[hay]]makers; invoked for the discovery of thieves
|major_shrine=[[Basilica Sant'Ambrogio]], [[Milan]], [[Italy]]
|suppressed_date=
|issues= 
}}
'''Gervasius and Protasius''' (also '''Gervase and Protase''', '''Gervasis and Prothasis''' and in [[French (language)|French]] ''Gervais and Protais'') are venerated as [[Christian martyrs]], probably of the 2nd century. They are the [[patron saints]] of [[Milan]] and of [[hay]]makers and are invoked for the discovery of thieves. Their [[feast day]] in the Latin Rite of the [[Catholic Church]] is 19 June, the day marking the [[translation (relics)|translation]] of their relics. In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and in the Eastern Rites of the [[Catholic Church]], their feast takes place on 14 October ([[Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe|O.S.]])/24 October ([[Adoption of the Gregorian calendar#Adoption in Eastern Europe|N.S.]]), the traditional day of their death. In Christian [[iconography]] their emblems are the scourge, the club and the sword.
{{Multiple image
| image1= Gervasius. Detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale. Ravena, Italy.jpg
| image2= Martyr Protasius. Detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale. Ravena, Italy.JPG
| footer= Gervasius and Protasius, details of the mosaics in the [[Basilica of San Vitale]], [[Ravenna]], 6th century
| width2= 160
}}

==Legend==
The ''[[Acta Sanctorum|acta]]''<ref>"Acta Sanctorum" June, IV, 680 and 29.</ref> may have been expanded from a letter (''Epistle'' liii) to the bishops of [[Italy]], falsely ascribed to [[Ambrose]]. They are written in a very simple style; it has not been possible to establish the date of their composition. According to these, Gervasius and Protasius were the twin sons of martyrs. Their father, [[Vitalis of Milan]], a man of consular dignity, suffered martyrdom at [[Ravenna]], possibly under [[Nero]]. Their mother, [[Valeria of Milan|Valeria]], died for her faith in Milan. Gervasius and Protasius were imprisoned, and visited in prison by [[Nazarius and Celsus|Nazarius]].

The sons are said to have had large hands and had been scourged and then beheaded, during the reign of the Emperor [[Nero]], under the presidency of Anubinus or Astasius, and while Caius was [[Bishop of Milan]]. Some authors place the martyrdom under the Emperor [[Diocletian]], but others object to this time because it is not clear how, in that case, the place of burial, and even the names, could be forgotten by the time of Ambrose, as is stated. It probably occurred during the reign of Emperor [[Marcus Aurelius]] (161–180).<ref name=mershman>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06537a.htm Mershman, Francis. "Sts. Gervasius and Protasius." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 24 Jan. 2014]</ref>

==Ambrose and Gervasius and Protasius==
[[Image:Philippe de Champaigne SS Gervase and Protase.jpg|thumb|left|Gervasius and Protasius, by [[Philippe de Champaigne]]]] 
[[Ambrose]], in 386, had built a magnificent [[basilica]] at Milan, now called the [[Basilica Sant'Ambrogio]]. Asked by the people to consecrate it in the same solemn manner as was done in [[Rome]], he promised to do so if he could obtain the necessary relics. In a dream, he was shown the place where such relics could be found. He ordered excavations to be made outside the city, in the cemetery Church of [[Nabor and Felix|Saints Nabor and Felix]], who were at the time the primary patrons of Milan, and there found the relics of Saints Gervasius and Protasius. In a letter, Ambrose wrote: ''"I found the fitting signs, and on bringing in some on whom hands were to be laid, the power of the holy martyrs became so manifest, that even whilst I was still silent, one was seized and thrown prostrate at the holy burial-place. We found two men of marvelous stature, such as those of ancient days. All the bones were perfect, and there was much blood."''<ref>[http://urban.hunter.cuny.edu/~thead/gervase.htm Letter of St. Ambrose of Milan on the discovery of the Relics of Sts. Gervasius and Protasius] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516012528/http://urban.hunter.cuny.edu/~thead/gervase.htm |date=2008-05-16 }}</ref>

Ambrose had their relics removed to the Basilica of Fausta (now the Church of [[Saints Vitalis and Agricola]]),<ref>[http://urban.hunter.cuny.edu/~thead/gervase.htm Letter of Ambrose of Milan on the<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516012528/http://urban.hunter.cuny.edu/~thead/gervase.htm |date=2008-05-16 }}</ref> and on the next day into the basilica, accompanied in the texts by many miracles, emblematic of divine favor in the context of the great struggle then taking place between Ambrose and the [[Arianism|Arian]] Empress [[Justina (empress)|Justina]].<ref>D. H. Williams, "Ambrose of Milan and the End of the Arian-Nicene Conflicts," Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995 discusses the "inventio" and "depositio" of the relics as the crowning gesture of Ambrose's triumph over the Arians.</ref> Of the vision, the subsequent discovery of the relics and the accompanying miracles, Ambrose wrote to his sister Marcellina.

[[Saint Augustine|Augustine]], not yet baptized, claims to have witnessed these events and relates them in his ''"Confessions"'' (IX, vii), and in ''"De Civitate Dei"'' (XXII, viii) as well as in his ''"Sermon 286 in natal. Ss. Mm. Gerv. et Prot."''. They are also alleged by [[Paulinus of Nola|Paulinus]] in his life of Ambrose. The latter died in 397 and by his own wish was buried in his basilica by the side of these martyrs.<ref name=mershman/> It has been suggested that the [[Brescia Casket]] was made for or used to hold the relics.

==Veneration==
[[Image:Sant'Ambrogio Cript in Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, Milan.jpg|thumb|right|The crypt in [[Basilica Sant'Ambrogio|Sant'Ambrogio]] basilica. Embossed silver urn, displaying the skeletons of [[Saint Ambrose|Saints Ambrose]], Gervase, and Protase.]]
[[File:Martyr Gervasius. Detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale. Ravena, Italy.jpg|thumb|right|Martyr Gervasius. Mosaic in the [[Basilica of San Vitale]], [[Ravenna]]]]
J. Rendel Harris, in ''"The Dioscuri in the Christian Legends"'' (London, 1903), addressed the subject of twin saints in Christian legend, who seem to be connected with the [[Dioscuri]], whose cult was tenacious, surmised from an oration decrying their veneration by [[Dio Chrysostom]] (''"Orations"'' 61.11). The historicity of Gervasius and Protasius was defended in the ''"Analecta Bollandist."'' (1904), XXIII, 427.<ref name=mershman/>

Immediately after the discovery of the relics by Ambrose, the [[Cult (religious practice)|cult]] of Saints Gervasius and Protasius was spread in Italy, churches were built in their honour at [[Pavia]], [[Nola]] and other places. In [[Gaul]] (modern-day [[France]]), Around the year 400<ref name=mershman/> churches were dedicated to them, at [[Le Mans|Mans]], [[Rouen]] and [[Soissons]]. At the [[Louvre]] in [[Paris]], there is now a famous picture of the saints by [[Eustache Le Sueur|Lesueur]] (d. 1655), which was formerly in their church, [[Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais]] in Paris. According to the ''"[[Liber Pontificalis]],"'' [[Pope Innocent I]] (402–417) dedicated a church to them in Rome. Later, the name of [[Vitalis of Milan|Vitalis]], their father, was added to the title of this church ([[Basilica of San Vitale (Rome)|Basilica of San Vitale]]). Very early on, their names were inserted into the [[Litany of the Saints]].

In 835, Angilbert II, [[Bishop of Milan]], placed the relics of the three saints in a [[Porphyry (geology)|porphyry]] [[sarcophagus]], where they were found in January 1864.<ref>''Civiltà Cattolica'', 1864, IX, 608, and XII, 345</ref>

A tradition claims that, after the destruction of Milan by [[Frederick Barbarossa]], his chancellor, [[Rainald of Dassel]], had taken the relics from Milan and deposited them at [[Breisach]] in [[Germany]], whence some came to [[Soissons]]. The claim is rejected by Milan.<ref>Biraghi, ''Civiltà Cattolica'', 1864, IX, 608, and XII, 345.</ref>

Nevertheless, they were [[venerated]] by farmers in Germany and a German saying amongst harvesters was: ''"Wenn's regnet auf Gervasius / es vierzig Tage regnen muss"'' (''"When it rains on St Gervasius' Day / forty days of rain will follow"'').<ref>[http://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienG/Gervasius.htm Gervasius - Ökumenisches Heiligenlexikon<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Thus, as with the cults of [[Swithun|Saint Swithun]], [[Saint Medard]], the [[Seven Sleepers]], and [[Saint Godelieve]], that of Sts Gervasius and Protasius was connected with the weather.

A famous series of [[tapestry|tapestries]] of the ''"Life of Gervasius and Protasius,"'' donated to the [[Cathedral of Our Lady (Antwerp)|Cathedral of Antwerp]] in 1509, is displayed in the cathedral's choir.<ref>Laura Weigert, "Reconstructing Medieval Pictorial Narrative: Louis Joubert's Tapestry Restoration Project" ''Art Journal'' '''54'''.2, Conservation and Art History, Summer 1995:67-72.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Kantheesangal]]
*[[St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Church]]
*[[San Gervasio (disambiguation)]]
*[[San Trovaso]]

==Notes==

{{reflist}}

==References==

* [[Saint Ambrose|Ambrose]], ed. & tr. by John Hugo Wolfgang Gideon Liebeschuetz, [https://books.google.com/books?id=_qQsA7gE6UoC&pg=PA200&lpg=PA200&dq ''Ambrose Of Milan: Political Letters And Speeches'' (google preview)], 2005, Liverpool University Press, {{ISBN|0853238294}}, 9780853238294; full text [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/ambrose-letter22.asp Ambrose of Milan: Letter 22: ''The Finding of SS. Gervasius and Protasius''], Fordham 
*{{Catholic|wstitle=Sts. Gervasius and Protasius}}

==External links==
{{commons category multi|Saint Gervasius|Saint Protasius}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071013150803/http://catholic-forum.com/saints/saintg29.htm Gervase]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071109161002/http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintp45.htm Protase]
*[http://www.christianiconography.info/gervaseProtasius.html Saints Gervasius and Protasius] at the [http://www.christianiconography.info Christian Iconography] web site.
*[http://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/gervaseProtasius.htm Here Follow the Lives of Saints Gervase and Prothase] from Caxton's translation of the Golden Legend
*[http://www.stpetersbasilica.info/Exterior/Colonnades/Saints/St%20Gervase-69/StGervasius.htm St Gervase Colonnade Statue in St Peter's Square]
*[http://www.stpetersbasilica.info/Exterior/Colonnades/Saints/St%20Protase-68/StProtasius.htm St Protase Colonnade Statue in St Peter's Square]
*{{in lang|it}} [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/58350 Santi Gervasio e Protasio]
*{{in lang|de}} [http://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienG/Gervasius.htm Ökumenisches Heiligenlexikon über Gervasius]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gervasius And Protasius}}
[[Category:2nd-century deaths]]
[[Category:2nd-century Christian martyrs]]
[[Category:Burials at the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio]]
[[Category:Saints from Roman Italy]]
[[Category:Ancient Roman twins]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Year of death unknown]]
[[Category:Saints duos]]
[[Category:Groups of Christian martyrs of the Roman era]]