FOCA, SANTO - Enciclopedia Cattolica, Vol. V, p. 869

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

### FOCA, Saint

Martyr, probably under Diocletian, at Sinope in Pontus, commemorated by St Gregory Nazianzen and by Bishop Asterius. According to the latter, Phocas, a gardener by trade, having shown hospitality to his persecutors and refreshed them, revealed himself to them and asked to be put to death. From ancient times Phocas has been invoked as the protector of sailors. Attempts to identify him with the god Phocus, the Nordic spirit Klabautermann, or the god Priapus, all patrons of seafarers, must be rejected. His feast is on 22 September.

Bibl.: Acta S.S. Septemberis, Paris-Rome 1867, pp. 203-99; Ch. van de Voert, St. Phokas, in Anal. Boll. 30 (1911), pp. 252-05; H. Delehaye, Haaggraafhe napolitaine, ibid., 57 (1939), pp. 33-34.

The saint is venerated as patron of the city of Francavilla in Calabria. His legend has inspired a popular narrative song in hendecasyllables, of unquestionably Calabrian origin, in which the main episodes of this warrior saint’s life—from his conversion to the proofs of fortitude he gave in his martyrdom—are recounted in simple yet not unpoetic style. He is the protector of caulkers; his attributes are the gardener’s dress and the sword; his feast is on 22 September.

Bibl.: O. Simonetti, Cenno biografico sulla l'autocchèna maritare s. F., protettore della città di Francavilla in Calabria Ultra 2, Monticello Calabro 1822; R. Lombardi Satriani, Canti popolari calabresi, IV, Naples 1933, pp. 317-21. Paolo Toschi

### FOCA, Byzantine Emperor

The Phocas Column erected by the Roman people in 608—Rome, Roman Forum.

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