ROMANUS, SS.

The name of numerous saints in the ecclesiastical calendar, particularly in antiquity and the Middle Ages. The acta of St. lawrence speak of a Romanus Ostiarius as a martyr at Rome on the Via Tiburtina (d. 258). eusebi us of caesarea mentions a deacon Romanus of Caesarea who was martyred at Antioch with a young boy named Barulas under Diocletian (Historia ecclesiastica 8.2); a sermon of john chrysostom at Antioch mentions this same Romanus as a martyr c. 303. gregory of tours speaks of Romanus of Le Mans as a priest of Blaye in the Gironde (Gaul) and as a saint (d. 380). Romanus the Hermit, a native of Cilicia, is mentioned by theodo ret of cyr because of his modesty and his charity; cures attributed to his prayers caused him to be named Thaumaturgus, or miracle–worker. The founder of the abbey of Condat in the Jura was also a Romanus, who lived first as a solitary under the direction of the abbot of Ainay (Lyon) before gaining the esteem of his contemporaries by his goodness (d. 463). The Roman martyrology lists Romanus of Subiaco (d. c. 560) who was an early companion of St. benedict. Also recorded as saints were Bishop Romanus of Reims (d. c. 535); Bishop Romanus of Auxerre (d. c. 550); Bishop Romanus of Rouen (d. c. 640). Pope benedict xiii approved the celebration of the feast of the martyrs (d. 1010) SS. Romanus (Boris) and David (Gleb) for Russian Catholics. This Romanus, called Boris in Russian, is the patron of Moscow.

The lives of these saints were embellished by numerous legends. Some of them seem to have been the victims of duplication as in the case of the Roman priest of Mans, who is very similar to the one at Blaye. The existence of a Romanus, disciple of a certain Ptolemy, and bishop of Nepi, is recorded by a questionable vita. Many of these saints are honored with special feasts in particular localities.

Romanus Ostiarius's feast day: Aug. 9.

Romanus of Caesarea's feast day: Nov. 18.

Romanus of Le Mans's feast day: Nov. 24.

Romanus the Hermit's feast day: Feb. 9.

Romanus (founder of the abbey of Condat in the Jura) feast day: Feb. 28.

Romanus of Subiaco's feast day: May 22.

Bishop Romanus of Reims's feast day: Feb. 28.

Bishop Romanus of Auxerre's feast day: Oct. 6.

Bishop Romanus of Rouen's feast day: Oct. 23.

Romanus (Boris) of Moscow's feast day: July 24.

Bishop Romanus of Nepi's feast day: Aug. 24.

Bibliography: Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis, 2 v. (Brussels 1898–1901; suppl. 1911), 7297–7321. j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheureux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes, ed. benedictines of paris, 12 v. (Paris 1935–56); v. 13, suppl. and table générale (1959). h. quentin, Les Martyrologes historiques du moyen âge (Paris 1908). h. delehaye, S. Romain, martyr d'Antioche (Brussels 1932). e. m. dupeyron and g. reicher, Une chronique chrétienne du IVme siècle; saint Romain d'Afrique et de Blaye (Blaye 1946). r. aigrain, L'Hagiographie (Paris 1953) 29, 226, 260, 265. The Life of the Jura Fathers: The Life and Rule of the Holy Fathers Romanus, Lupicinus, and Eugendus, tr. t. vivian, k. vivian, and j. b. russell (Kalamazoo, Mich. 1999).

[p. roche]