- Getulius
Infobox Saint
name= Saint Getulius
birth_date=
death_date=120 AD
feast_day=June 10
venerated_in=Roman Catholic Church
imagesize= 250px
caption=
birth_place= Gabii (Getulius)
death_place=Gabii
titles= Protomartyrs of Sabina
beatified_date=
beatified_place=
beatified_by=
canonized_date=
canonized_place=
canonized_by=
attributes=
patronage=
major_shrine= Sant'Angelo in Pescheria, Rome
suppressed_date=
issues=Saint Getulius (d. 120 AD) is venerated together with Amantius (Amancius), Cerealus (Caerealis), and Primitivus ( _it. Getulio, Amancio, Cereale, e Primitivo) as a
Christian martyr andsaint . They are considered to have died atGabii . According to tradition, Getulius was the husband ofSaint Symphorosa . [ [http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=873 St. Getulius - Catholic Online ] ] [ [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14379a.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Saint Symphorosa ] ] Getulius is a name meaning “of the Gaetuli,” which was a tribe ofNorth Africa . [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ]Legends and burial
According to his legend, Getulius was a native of Gabii in Sabina. Getulius was an officer in the
Roman army who resigned when he became a Christian. He retired to his estates nearTivoli . Caerealis was an imperial legate sent to arrest him but was converted to Christianity by Getulius. Primitivus was another officer sent to arrest him, but he was also converted. Amantius was Getulius' brother. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ]According to his Passio, all four men were tied to a
stake and set alight. However, the fire did not harm them, so they were brutally clubbed and then beheaded.According to the "Roman Martyrology", Getulius was killed on the
Via Salaria and is called the father of the Seven Martyrs and the husband of Symphorosa. His companions are called Caerealis, Amantius, and Primitivus. They were imprisoned, thrown into the flames but emerged unharmed, and then beaten to death with clubs. The legend further states that Saint Symphorosa buried them in an "arenarium" on her estate. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ]Their seven sons (not to be confused with the seven sons of
Felicity of Rome ) are named specifically. According to their legend, each of them suffered a different kind of martyrdom. Crescens was pierced through thethroat , Julian through thebreast , Nemesius through theheart , Primitivus was wounded at thenavel , Justinus was pierced through the back, Stracteus (Stacteus, Estacteus) was wounded at the side, and Eugenius was cleft in two parts from top to bottom.The Martyrology of Ado states: "consumati sunt beati Martyres Gethulii in fundo Capriolis, viam Salariam, ab urbe Romam, plus minus miliario decimotertio, supra flumium Tiberim, in partem Savinensium". [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ] By "Capriolis, viam Salariam", Ado is referring to a place on the
Tiber River later known in theMiddle Ages as the "Corte di San Getulio" (today part ofMontopoli di Sabina ), due to the fact that a church was built here that originally held some of the saint’srelics . [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ] In 867, Abbot Peter of Farfa moved these relics to his abbey in a solemn ceremony. However, Getulius' relics are also considered to lie in Rome. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ]Veneration
There was previously a church of San Getulio at
Teramo .Getulius’
relics are purported to be at Rome, in the principalaltar of the church ofSant'Angelo in Pescheria . [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ]The relics of his purported wife St. Symphorosa and their seven sons were transferred to the Church of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria at Rome by
Pope Stephen II in 752. Asarcophagus was found here in 1610, bearing the inscription: "Hic requiescunt corpora SS. Martyrum Simforosae, viri sui Zotici (Getulii) et Filiorum ejus a Stephano Papa translata". They were placed in a glass urn during the pontificate ofPius IV , who placed the relics in anurn of glass. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ] In 1584, part of his relics were donated byGregory XIII to theJesuits , and these relics are found in a chapel near theVilla d'Este . Some relics were taken to Jesuit colleges inIndia andSpain (June 25, 1572). On September 26, 1587, to prevent further distribution, Mariano Perbenedetti, governor of Rome, enclosed the rest of the relics at Sant'Angelo in asarcophagus of marble. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ] This same sarcophagus also holds relics ofCyrus and John . [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio ] ]Notes
External links
* [http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=873 St. Getulius]
* [http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0610.htm Saints of June 10]
*it icon [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90936 San Getulio]
*it icon [http://www.enrosadira.it/santi/g/getulio.htm SAN GETULIO, SINFOROSA, CRESCENTE, GIULIANO, NEMESIO, PRIMITIVO, GIUSTINO, STATEO ED EUGENIO]
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