Felicissimus and Agapitus

Summary

Felicissimus and Agapitus were two of the six deacons of Pope Sixtus II who were martyred with him on or about 6 August 258, Felicissimus and Agapitus on the same day as the Pope.[1][2] The seventh deacon, Lawrence of Rome, was martyred on 10 August of the same year.

Felicissimus and Agapitus
DiedCatacombs of Praetextatus
Honored inApostolic Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Church
FeastAugust 6
The martyrdom of Saint Sixtus II and his deacons. (Martyre de saint Sixte II et de ses diacres. Cote: Français 185, Fol. 96v . Vies de saints, France, Paris)

Felicissimus and Agapitus are venerated particularly at the Catacombs of Praetextatus on the Via Appia, where they were buried.[3]

The Tridentine calendar commemorated Sixtus, Felicissimus, and Agapitus on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, 6 August. They remained in that position in the General Roman Calendar until 1969, when, with the abolition of commemorations, the memorial of Pope Sixtus "and his companions" was moved to 7 August, the day immediately after that of their death.[4]

Notes edit

  1. ^ "Michael Ott, Sixtus II in Catholic Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  2. ^ Butler, Alban (January 1998). "SS Sixtus II, Agapitus, Felicissimus, and Companions, Martyrs (258)". In John Cumming (ed.). Butler's Lives of the Saints: New Full Edition. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England: Burnes & Oates. pp. 44–45. ISBN 9780860122579. Retrieved 2008-06-18.
  3. ^ Louise Ropes Loomis, The Book of the Popes (Liber Pontificalis) (Arx Publishing 2006 ISBN 978-1-88975886-2), p. 31
  4. ^ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969), p. 133