SAINTS COSMAS AND DAMIAN

 

Cosmas and Damian miraculously transplant the black leg

of the Ethiopian onto the white body of the patient.

Born 3rd century ADArabia
Died c. 287 AD Aegea, Roman province of Syria

Feast September 26 

Early Christian physicians and martyrs whose feast is celebrated on 27 September. They were

twins, born in Arabia, and practised the art of healing in the seaport Ægea, now Ayash

(Ajass), on the Gulf of Iskanderun in Cilicia, Asia Minor, and attained a great reputation.

They accepted no pay for their services and were, therefore, called anargyroi, "the

silverless". In this way they brought many to the Catholic Faith. When the Diocletian

persecution began, the Prefect Lysias had Cosmas and Damian arrested, and ordered them to

recant. They remained constant under torture, in a miraculous manner suffered no injury

from water, fire, air, nor on the cross, and were finally beheaded with the sword. Their

three brothers, Anthimus, Leontius, and Euprepius died as martyrs with them. The execution

took place 27 September, probably in the year 287. At a later date a number of fables grew

up about them, connected in part with their relics. The remains of the martyrs were buried

in the city of Cyrus in Syria; the Emperor Justinian I (527-565) sumptuously restored the

city in their honour. Having been cured of a dangerous illness by the intercession of

Cosmas and Damian, Justinian, in gratitude for their aid, rebuilt and adorned their church

at Constantinople, and it became a celebrated place of pilgrimage. At Rome Pope Felix IV

(526-530) erected a church in their honour, the mosaics of which are still among the most

valuable art remains of the city. The Greek Church celebrates the feast of Saints Cosmas

and Damian on 1 July, 17 October, and 1 November, and venerates three pairs of saints of

the same name and profession. Cosmas and Damian are regarded as the patrons of physicians

and surgeons and are sometimes represented with medical emblems. They are invoked in the

Canon of the Mass and in the Litany of the Saints

The twin brothers Saint Cosmas and Damian (Greek: Κοσμάς και Δαμιανός) (also written Kosmas

and Damianos) (died ca. 287) were physicians and early Christian martyrs born in Cilicia,

part of today's Turkey. They practiced their profession in the seaport of Aegea (modern

Ayas, in the Gulf of İskenderun), then in the Roman province of Syria. Accepting no payment

for their services led to them being named "Ανάργυροι" (Unmercenary); it has been said

that, by this, they attracted many to the Christian faith

As early as the 4th century, churches dedicated to the twin saints were established at

Jerusalem, in Egypt and in Mesopotamia. Theodoret records the division of their relics.

Their relics, deemed miraculous, were buried in the city of Cyrrus in Syria. Churches were

built in their honor by Archbishop Proclus and by Emperor Justinian I (527–565), who

sumptuously restored the city of Cyrus and dedicated it to the twins, but brought their

relics to Constantinople; there, following his cure, ascribed to the intercession of Cosmas

and Damian, Justinian, in gratitude also built and adorned their church at Constantinople,

and it became a celebrated place of pilgrimage. At Rome Pope Felix IV (526–530) rededicated

the Library of Peace (Bibliotheca Pacis) as a basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano in the

Forum of Vespasian in their honour. The church is much rebuilt but still famed for its

sixth-century mosaics illustrating the saints.

What are said to be their skulls are venerated in the convent of the Clares in Madrid,

where they have been since 1581, the gift of Maria, daughter of Emperor Charles V. They had

previously been removed from Rome to Bremen in the tenth century, and thence to Bamberg

(Matthews). Other skulls said to be theirs have been discovered at Easter 1334 by Burchard

Grelle, Prince-Archbishop of Bremen. He "personally 'miraculously' retrieved the relics of

the holy physicians Cosmas and Damian, which were allegedly immured and forgotten in the

quire of the Bremen Cathedral.In celebration of the retrieval Archbishop and Chapter

arranged a feast at Pentecost 1335, when the relics were translated from the wall to a more

dignified place."Grelle claimed the relics were those Archbishop Adaldag brought from Rome

in 965. In about 1400 the cathedral master-builder Johann Hemeling commissioned a shrine

for the relics, which has been accomplished until after 1420. The shrine from carved oak

wood covered with gilt rolled silver is considered an important mediaeval gold work.

The martyr twins are invoked in the Canon of the Mass in the prayer known as the

Communicantes (from the first Latin word of the prayer): "In communion with the whole

Church, they venerate above all others the memory of the glorious ever-virgin Mary, Mother

of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, then of blessed Joseph, husband of the Virgin, your

blessed Apostles and Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip,

Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude: Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian,

Laurence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian and all your Saints: grant through

their merits and prayers that in all things we may be defended by the help of your

protection." They are also invoked in the Litany of the Saints.

LINKS
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04403e.htm>.