Saint Pelagius
Saint Pelagius of Córdoba (born c. 912 AD in Galicia, Spain; died June 26, 925 AD in Córdoba, Al-Andalus (modern Spain)) was a young Spanish Christian who was martyred at Córdoba under the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Rahman III after rejecting the caliph's sexual advances. He was a boy of approximately 13 when he was put to death, and is venerated as a martyr and virgin. His death was witnessed by a Christian monk, Raguel, who later recorded it. His feast day is June 26.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Pelagius
| Saint Pelagius | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | June 26 |
| Profession | Child martyr; hostage; virgin martyr |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Mozarab Christian community of Córdoba; Spain; Christian witness under Islamic rule; child martyrs; virgin martyrs |
| Patronage | Córdoba; the Mozarab Christian community; child martyrs; those who suffer sexual violence for refusing to submit; virgins; Christian youth; Spain |
| Attributes | Young man's face; palm of martyrdom; iron pincers (instrument of his death); Spanish royal dress or simple clothing; Córdoba setting; the Caliph's court as a backdrop |
| Birthplace | Galicia, Spain (traditional) |
| Death Place | Córdoba, Al-Andalus (modern Spain) |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; killed on June 26, 925 AD, at Córdoba, at the order of Caliph Abd al-Rahman III; he had been held as a hostage for three years and was killed when he rejected the caliph's sexual advances and refused to apostatize from Christianity; he was torn apart with hot iron pincers and dismembered; he was approximately 13 years old at the time of his death |
| Primary Shrine | Oviedo Cathedral, Asturias, Spain — his relics in the Camera Santa; one of the great medieval relic shrines of Spain; visited by pilgrims on the Camino Primitivo; his relics brought from Córdoba to Oviedo in the early Reconquista period |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Rite); June 26; Feast in Spain |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; observed in Spain and Asturias |
Biography
Pelagius was born c. 912 in Galicia (northwestern Spain). His uncle was Bishop Hermoygius of Tuy, who was captured in battle by the Moors and taken to Córdoba. Young Pelagius was sent as a hostage to secure his uncle's release. The bishop eventually ransomed himself and returned to the Christian north, leaving Pelagius behind as his substitute.
Pelagius spent approximately three years in captivity in Córdoba. Brought before the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Rahman III, he was offered wealth, position, and favor in exchange for renouncing his Christianity and submitting to the caliph's advances. He refused both.
He was killed on June 26, 925 AD, torn apart with hot iron pincers. He was approximately 13 years old.
The monk Raguel witnessed or recorded his martyrdom. The 10th-century German nun Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim wrote a celebrated Latin poem about him, spreading his story throughout medieval Europe.
His relics were brought north and are enshrined in the Camera Santa of Oviedo Cathedral, Asturias.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Galicia, Spain (traditional)
Death location: Córdoba, Al-Andalus (modern Spain)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Oviedo Cathedral (Camera Santa), Asturias — his relics; one of Spain's great relic shrines.
Feast day
June 26
Veneration
Saint Pelagius is a Mozarab child martyr who died at age 13 in Córdoba, refusing to apostatize from Christianity or submit to the Caliph's advances. His story was immortalized by the German nun Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim. His relics are at Oviedo Cathedral. His feast is June 26.
Prayers
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