| Saints Marcellinus and Peter | |
|---|---|
 Catacomb of Saints Marcellinus and Peter on the Via Labicana. Christ between Peter and Paul. To the sides are the martyrs Gorgonius, Peter, Marcellinus, Tiburtius. | |
| Died | ~304 AD, Rome |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Major shrine | Santi Marcellino e Pietro |
| Feast | June 2 |
 Saints Portal
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Saint Marcellinus and Peter were two 4th century Christian martyrs in the city of Rome.
Life
Very little is known about the two martyrs' life. Marcellinus, a priest, and Peter, an exorcist, died in the year 304, during the persecution of Diocletian. Pope Damasus I claimed that he heard the story of these two martyrs from their executioner who became a Christian after their deaths. According to a legendary account of their martyrdom, the two Romans saw their imprisonment as just one more opportunity to evangelize and managed to convert their jailer and his family. The legend also says that they were beheaded in the forest, called Silva Nigra, so that other Christians wouldn't have a chance to bury and venerate their bodies. Two women found the bodies, however, and had them properly buried.
Cult
The martyrs were venerated by the early Christian church. Their names are mentioned in the first Eucharistic prayer. In 1253 Pope Alexander IV moved their relics to an ancient church near present-day Via Merulana that was named after them: Santi Marcellino e Pietro.
Sources
- Catholic Online
- [1] — University of Pittsburgh
- Saints of June 2
