CESARIO, SANTO

Image from page 790
Image from page 790

CESARIUS, St. — Martyr of Terracina in Campania. According to the *Passio*, written between the 5th and 6th centuries by an author who knew nothing of the martyr’s life, C., of African origin, is said to have been a deacon of Terracina and to have suffered martyrdom under Nero together with his companions Julian, Felix, and Eusebius. Of this entire account, only the name of the martyr C., the place, and the day of his martyrdom—November 1—should be accepted; this date was later included not only in martyrologies but also in Roman sacramentaries such as the Gelasian and Gregorian.

In the *Martyrologium Hieronymianum*, C. is also commemorated on April 21; this likely refers to the dedication of the oratory of St. C., erected within the imperial palace on the Palatine, beside which a Greek monastery later arose.

BIBL.: *Martyrologium Hieronymianum*, pp. 201, 582; *Martyrologium Romanum*, p. 489; *Acta SS. Novembris*, I, Brussels 1887, pp. 84–130; J. P. Kirsch, *Der stadtrömische christliche Festkalender im Altertum* (Liturgisch-historische Quellen, 7–8), Münster i. V. 1924, p. 208; Lanzoni, pp. 148–51; id., *A proposito della passione di S. Cesario di Terracina*, in *Riv. di arch. crist.* 1 (1924), pp. 146–48; H. Grisar, *Roma alla fine del mondo antico*, new ed., Rome 1930 (introduction by A. Bartoli, pp. XXI–XXII); H. Delehaye, *Les origines du culte des martyrs*, 2nd ed., Brussels 1933, p. 308; M. Armellini, *Le chiese di Roma*, ed. C. Cecchelli, II, Rome 1942, pp. 1274–76 (v. index).