Saints Marian & James – 6 May – Saints Of The Day In Sacred Art
Saints Marian and James. Algerian early Christians and martyrs. A lector and a deacon.
Marian and James, a lector and a deacon, were born in eastern Algeria, in the area of Constantine, around the beginning of the third century. In 257, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Valerian (253 – 260), all Christian gatherings were banned, the visiting of burial grounds denied and clergy exiled. A bit later, the persecution of Christians was made even more merciless by immediately executing all clergy and imprisoning others with chains while expecting them to perform hard labour. Among the many arrested and imprisoned were Marian and James.
The martyrs were blindfolded and then beheaded. Their bodies were thrown in the river. The Cathedral in Gubbio, Italy, claims to have their relics.
Iconographic symbols – priest’s attire, a book and palm branches.
