Currently in Catalonia, Tarragona was the capital city of Roman Iberia (Spain). Though there were probably earlier bishops of this diocese, the first whose name we know is Fructuosus. During the persecution of the Emperor Valerian, on January 21, 259, Fructuosus and two deacons, Augurius and Eulogius were burned at the stake in the amphitheater for their faith. That night, Christians went there to put out the fire and to gather and save the bones of the martyrs.
An anonymous figure, possibly a soldier, wrote the acts of the martyrdom of Fructuosus and his companions. Called the “Passio Fructuosi”, it is considered the first historical Christian document in the Iberian Peninsula and was widely disseminated to be read publicly in churches. In North Africa, St. Augustine of Hippo made a panegyric in their honor in his “Sermon 273”. And the poet Prudentius dedicated a hymn to the three martyrs.
Towards the end of the fifth century, a Visigothic Basilica was built over the amphitheater and dedicated to St. Fructuosus. The relics of the martyrs were at first venerated there. But, with the arrival of the Saracens in 721, the remains of the martyrs were transferred to Italy by Tarragona’s bishop, St. Prosper, to the place where the Benedictine Abbey of San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte would be located. It was founded on the Italian Riviera in the diocese of Genoa by Greek monks in the 10th century. To protect them from the depredations of pirates, the relics were transferred further inland to Siena.
Eventually, most of the relics of the three martyrs were transferred back to Catalonia, to the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages in the town of Sant Fruitos de Bages. In 1372, many of the relics were taken to the Collegiate Basilica of Santa Maria in Manresa. At that time, a small portion were sent to the Cathedral of Tarragona. Some of the relics were kept at Sant Benet de Bages. This Benedictine monastery was founded in 960 and suppressed by the Spanish government in 1820. Its monks were sent to Montserrat, and the Sant Benet buildings were transformed into a retirement community for Montserrat monks.
Our relic is the cranium of St. Fructuosus. It was apparently kept at the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages until the monastery was suppressed. During that time, someone painted on the skull itself “Fructuosus/Anno Domini 1745”.
An anonymous figure, possibly a soldier, wrote the acts of the martyrdom of Fructuosus and his companions. Called the “Passio Fructuosi”, it is considered the first historical Christian document in the Iberian Peninsula and was widely disseminated to be read publicly in churches. In North Africa, St. Augustine of Hippo made a panegyric in their honor in his “Sermon 273”. And the poet Prudentius dedicated a hymn to the three martyrs.
Towards the end of the fifth century, a Visigothic Basilica was built over the amphitheater and dedicated to St. Fructuosus. The relics of the martyrs were at first venerated there. But, with the arrival of the Saracens in 721, the remains of the martyrs were transferred to Italy by Tarragona’s bishop, St. Prosper, to the place where the Benedictine Abbey of San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte would be located. It was founded on the Italian Riviera in the diocese of Genoa by Greek monks in the 10th century. To protect them from the depredations of pirates, the relics were transferred further inland to Siena.
Eventually, most of the relics of the three martyrs were transferred back to Catalonia, to the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages in the town of Sant Fruitos de Bages. In 1372, many of the relics were taken to the Collegiate Basilica of Santa Maria in Manresa. At that time, a small portion were sent to the Cathedral of Tarragona. Some of the relics were kept at Sant Benet de Bages. This Benedictine monastery was founded in 960 and suppressed by the Spanish government in 1820. Its monks were sent to Montserrat, and the Sant Benet buildings were transformed into a retirement community for Montserrat monks.
Our relic is the cranium of St. Fructuosus. It was apparently kept at the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages until the monastery was suppressed. During that time, someone painted on the skull itself “Fructuosus/Anno Domini 1745”.
Affixed to the bottom of the platform supporting the skull is the following inscription in French: “I the undersigned Jean-Louis Reulet, pastor of Vignolles and born in Limoux (France) give this holy relic of St. Fructuosus from Tarragona, the martyr, to the church of St. Martin in Limoux. This holy relic was given to me by the abbot Perna…Rodrigo from B… I certify this relic to be genuine and came from the Spanish monastery and I give this in the church for veneration. Signed in Limoux the 7th of March, 1821.”
It survived the depredations of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1794, and was recently sold by the Thomas Maison de Ventes auction house in Douai, France, to an entrepreneur who sold it to Dmitry Gurevich, manager of The Russian Store, established in 1994 in Boston. It came to St. Martha of Bethany/Shrine of All Saints in June of 2021.
It survived the depredations of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1794, and was recently sold by the Thomas Maison de Ventes auction house in Douai, France, to an entrepreneur who sold it to Dmitry Gurevich, manager of The Russian Store, established in 1994 in Boston. It came to St. Martha of Bethany/Shrine of All Saints in June of 2021.
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