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San Cesareo di Terracina, ora pro nobis
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November 1st is the Feast of San Cesareo di Terracina, Deacon and Martyr. Patron saint of the Imperial family, San Cesareo is invoked against lightning, drowning, flooding, and for successful Caesarean sections. Chosen for his name (which means “devoted to Caesar”) and patrician lineage, veneration of San Cesareo replaced the Imperial cult of Ancient Rome (Divi Cesari). Sacred places once dedicated to the pagan Emperors were renamed in his honor and consecrated to the faith of Christ.Widely venerated in Southern Italy, he is the patron saint of Cesa (CE), Marcianise (CE), San Cesareo (RI), San Cesareo (FR), and San Cesario di Lecce (LE), as well as numerous districts and localities. His cult is especially old in Naples and his relics can be found in a gilded wooden reliquary bust in the Church of Santa Brigida and the Chapel of the Relics inside the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.
According to tradition, San Cesareo was born circa 85 AD in Roman Carthage. His father was a soldier of fortune and his mother was a noblewoman. Both descended from the ancient and illustrious Gens Julia family that settled in Africa following Rome's conquest. Named in honor of Gaius Julius Caesar (100BC-44BC), the household converted to Christianity and young Cesareo would became a deacon.
Traveling to Rome by sea, a terrible storm shipwrecked Cesareo off the coast of Terracina. Settling there to preach the Gospel, he was shocked and appalled by the ritual human sacrifice still taking place during the celebration for the god Apollo, even though the custom fell out of favor in the Empire by this time. Sternly condemning the barbaric practice, he was denounced as a Christian by the high priest Firmino and imprisoned.
Driven before the proconsul Leonzio, Cesareo refused to make a sacrifice to the Roman gods. Instead, he began to pray to the one true God, which caused the temple of Apollo to quake and collapse, killing the high priest. Wonderstruck, Leonzio converted on the spot and was baptized by Cesareo, before suddenly dying.
Witnessing the destruction of the temple, Lussurio, the mayor of the city, had Cesareo arrested and condemned to death. On the first of November, Cesareo and fellow Christian Giuliano the Presbyter [Giuliano, coincidentally, means “belonging to Gens Julia.”] were to be bound in sacks and tossed into the sea from the promontory of Pisco Montano. However, before being cast into the waters below, Cesareo prophesied that Lussurio would die ignobly by a serpent.
As was told, a few days after the drowning, Lussurio was bitten by a poisonous sea snake while taking a stroll along the coast. Writhing in agony, he lamented his decision and slowly died.
Meantime, the remains of the Martyrs washed up on shore and were recovered by Felice and Eusebio. The location of the martyr’s bodies was revealed to them by a vision in the night. After burying the relics outside the city, the Christians were captured by Leonzio’s son and beheaded. Tossed into the sea, their corpses were recovered and buried by the presbyter Quarto from Capua, who was led to them by an angel.
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to San Cesareo in Italian, courtesy of the Concattedrale di San Cesareo in Terracina. Pictured is my makeshift shrine with candle, incense, and image of the saint from the vault of the Duomo di Terracina. Evviva San Cesareo!
Prayer to San Cesareo di Terracina
Figli della terra che hai fecondato col tuo sangue, ci rivolgiamo a te, Cesareo santo. E mentre siamo ammirati dalla forza della tua fede, desideriamo specchiarci nel tuo esempio, imparare da te il coraggio di seguire Cristo, per essere oggi, nell'amata Terracina, messaggeri di una vita nuova.
Tu hai amato fino in fondo Cristo, che morendo ha vinto la morte, e lo hai servito nei fratelli poveri e sofferenti. Hai annunciato il suo Vangelo, generando, col tuo sangue, la nostra fede.
Aiutaci a dominare le nostre debolezze, a non cedere alla tentazione dell'ipocrisia. Stacci vicino quando il male ci attrae e rischiamo di voltare le spalle a Cristo.mPrendici per mano quando ci prende la paura del sacrificio e tendiamo a rifugiarci nella mediocrità.
Con la tua intercessione guidaci a vincere il male con il bene, ad essere sempre strumenti di pace, seminatori di unità, testimoni autentici di Cristo, unico Salvatore dell'uomo.
Che la memoria del tuo martirio ci spinga ad essere disponibili alla chiamata del Signore, che ancora oggi dice ad ogni uomo: "Vieni e seguimi." Amen!
