Basilides and Potamiana

Infobox Saint
name=Saints Basilides and Potamiana
birth_date=
death_date=ca. 205
feast_day=June 28; June 30 (only Basilides, Catholic calendar)
venerated_in=Roman Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church


imagesize=
caption=
birth_place=
death_place=Alexandria, Egypt
titles=
beatified_date=
beatified_place=
beatified_by=
canonized_date=
canonized_place=
canonized_by=
attributes=Basilides is depicted as a soldier
patronage=rape victims (Potamiana) [ [http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintp2s.htm Patron Saints Index: Saint Potamiaena ] ] ; Polizia Penitenziaria (Basilides)
major_shrine=
suppressed_date=
issues=
prayer=
prayer_attrib=

Potamiana, or Potamiaena (d. ca. 205 AD), is venerated as a Christian saint and martyr. According to her legend, she, along with her mother Marcella, had been condemned to be sunk by degrees in a cauldron of boiling pitch at Alexandria, Egypt. She was also threatened with being handed over to gladiators to be raped.

After Potamiana had been sentenced to death, Basilides, an officer of the court, led her to execution; on the way, he protected her against the insults of the mob. In return for his kindness Potamiana promised him not to forget him with her Lord when she reached her destination.

Soon after Potamiana's death Basilides was asked by his fellow-soldiers to take a certain oath; on answering that he could not do it, as he was a Christian, at first they thought he was jesting, but seeing he was in earnest they denounced him and he was condemned to be beheaded.

While waiting in jail for his sentence to be carried out some Christians (Origen being possibly one of them) visited Basilides and asked him how he happened to be converted; he answered that three days after her death, Potamiana had appeared to him by night and placed a crown on his head as a pledge that the Lord would soon receive him into his glory. Basilides was then baptized and the next day he was beheaded.

Potamiana appeared to many other persons at that time, calling them to faith and martyrdom (Eusebius, "Church History" VI, iii-v). To these conversions, Origen, an eyewitness, testifies in his "Contra Celsum" (I, 46; P. G., XI, 746). The description of the episode of intercession of Potamiana on behalf of Basilides, narrated in Eusebius’ text, constitutes one of first documents that concerns the intercession of saints. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91468 Santa Potamiena d’Alessandria ] ]

Six Christians, students of Origen, were martyred at the same time. Eusebius describes the martyrdom of this group:

Veneration

The martyrdoms of Basilides, Potamiana, Marcella and six disciples of Origen are commemorated in the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum" on June 28. The "Roman Martyrology" commemorates only Basilides on June 30. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91468 Santa Potamiena d’Alessandria ] ]

In Italy, on September 2, 1948, Saint Basilides was declared patron saint of the Corpo degli Agenti di Custodia, today the Polizia Penitenziaria, the Prison Guards. [ [http://www.polizia-penitenziaria.it/chisiamo/basilide.htm San Basilide patrono della Polizia Penitenziaria ] ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250106.htm Account by Eusebius from the "Ecclesiastical History", book 6, chapter 5]
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02329a.htm Basilides] - Catholic Encyclopedia
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11707a.htm Coptic persecutions] - Catholic Encyclopedia
* [http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintp2s.htm Potamiana]
*it icon [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91468 Santa Potamiena d’Alessandria]