ST HERMES OF ROME, MARTYR - 28 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 28th of August

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SAINT HERMES OF ROME, MARTYR 

Saint Hermes suffered at Rome. According to Piazza, the Saint was prefect of Rome under the Emperor Trajan (from 98 to 117) and with his wife, his sons and another 1,550 people  he was instructed in the Faith by St Pope Alexander (121 to 132) and baptised on Easter Eve. 

THE MARTYR'S CROWN

St Hermes was the first to receive the martyr's crown among the new converts. According to the Roman Martyrology, the judge Aurelianus ordered him to be beheaded. 

He was buried by his sister Theodora in a churchyard in front of the Porta Salaria, which later bore his name. Pope Hadrian I is said to have built a basilica in his honour in that place. 

"HEAVENLY DIGNITY ENDURES FOR EVER"

In an old Roman ceremonial one reads of him: "I have not lost the prefecture, but changed it; earthly dignity, because it is taken from earth, passes away, but heavenly dignity endures forever," words which are taken from the acts of the saint and are also found in Ado. 

SEVERAL MIRACLES TOOK PLACE

Baronius reports that, in 829, Gregory IV translated the body of this holy Martyr to St Mark's Church. According to the testimony of Abbot Eginhard von Seligenstadt am Main, relics of this St Hermes were brought to his abbey and several miracles took place. Another transfer is said to have taken place in the year 851, namely to Cornelimünster (Corneliusmünster) on the Dente, not far from Aachen, but the holy relics remained there only for a short time. 

HIS RELICS

Since the year 860 they were with a few interruptions at Renaix (Ronse, Latin: Rothacum) in Belgium (East Flanders). Portions of the relics are kept at Maria Maggiore, St Alexius in Rome, in Aachen in the Church of St Adalbert, in Cologne at St Gereon, in the former Hersfeld monastery and in other places respectively. 

A CHURCH AND A MONASTERY

In the long-destroyed city of Antium (Anzo) there was a church, and also in Palermo there was a monastery with the name of this Saint. His main festival falls on August 28, on which day it is commemorated in the Roman breviary: the other days noted refer to translations. [In some calendars St Hermes is commemorated on January 10 or July 6.]

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858 - 🎨 St Hermes is the figure at the back, in armour. Other saints pictured include St James the Great, St Joseph, St Ghislain, and St Eligius - from a 15th c. Dutch Book of Prayers)