Born in Rome; died c. 68. Saint Nazarius was the son of a pagan Roman officer and his Christian wife Perpetua. Nazarius was taught the faith by Saint Peter. When Emperor Nero was persecuting Christians in Rome, Nazarius began to preach the Christian faith so powerfully that his friends begged him to leave the city to avoid punishment. He went to Milan. There he found two other Christians, Gervase and Protase, already in prison. In spite of the danger, Nazarius rushed to comfort them, for which the city rulers beat him and threw him outside their walls. Undeterred, Nazarius went to Gaul. He was asked to look after a child called Celsus, baptized him, and travelled further, reaching Trier, Germany, always preaching the Gospel. Celsus went with him, supporting Nazarius in every way he could.
At Trier, they were tried by Nero who found them guilty of being Christians, and ordered that they be drowned. Both Christians were taken in a ship and thrown overboard, but a storm that suddenly arose frightened the sailors. Imagining that the storm was a punishment for their treatment of the two Christians, the sailors pulled Nazarius and Celsus back on board.
They landed at Genoa, and Nazarius decided that they ought to try once more to convert the people of Milan. But the magistrates of Milan again caught Nazarius and Celsus with him. This time they were beheaded.
The two saints were buried outside the walls of the city, close by the graves of Gervase and Protase. Saint Ambrose, bishop of Milan, discovered the four bodies in a garden outside Milan and reverently enshrined them inside his great new church of the Apostles in 395. Reputedly, Nazarius's blood was still liquid and red when his body was exhumed by Saint Ambrose.
The faithful stained handkerchiefs with some drops, and also formed a certain paste with it, a portion of which St. Ambrose sent to St. Gaudentius, Bishop of Brescia. St. Ambrose conveyed the bodies of the two martyrs into the new church of the apostles, which he had just built. A woman was delivered of an evil spirit in their presence. St. Ambrose sent some of these relics to St. Paulinus of Nola, who received them, with great respect, as a most valuable present, as he testifies.
They landed at Genoa, and Nazarius decided that they ought to try once more to convert the people of Milan. But the magistrates of Milan again caught Nazarius and Celsus with him. This time they were beheaded.
The two saints were buried outside the walls of the city, close by the graves of Gervase and Protase. Saint Ambrose, bishop of Milan, discovered the four bodies in a garden outside Milan and reverently enshrined them inside his great new church of the Apostles in 395. Reputedly, Nazarius's blood was still liquid and red when his body was exhumed by Saint Ambrose.
The faithful stained handkerchiefs with some drops, and also formed a certain paste with it, a portion of which St. Ambrose sent to St. Gaudentius, Bishop of Brescia. St. Ambrose conveyed the bodies of the two martyrs into the new church of the apostles, which he had just built. A woman was delivered of an evil spirit in their presence. St. Ambrose sent some of these relics to St. Paulinus of Nola, who received them, with great respect, as a most valuable present, as he testifies.
