Chiaffredo
Saint Chiaffredo of Saluzzo | |
---|---|
Miniature of Saints Maurice and Theofredus (Chiaffredo), attributed to Frate Nebridio da Cremona, c. 1460–1480 | |
Martyr | |
Born | Egypt |
Died | 286 Crissolo, Italy |
Venerated in | Coptic Orthodox Church Eastern Orthodox Churches Oriental Orthodox Churches Roman Catholic Church |
Major shrine | Crissolo; Saluzzo |
Feast | September 7 |
Attributes | military attire; sword; standard of red Mauritian cross on white field; elm tree; horse |
Patronage | Saluzzo |
Chiaffredo (Chiaffredus, Theofredus, Ciafrè, Chaffre, Teofredo, Jafredo, Jafredus, Eufredus, Jofredus, Sinfredus, Zaffredus[1]) is venerated as the patron saint of Saluzzo, Italy. Tradition considers him a member of the Theban Legion, but instead of being martyred with this legion at Agaunum (in present-day Switzerland), he escaped to Piedmont and was martyred there.[2]
A 14th-century account relates that, around 522, a man fell from a precipice near Crissolo but remained unharmed. The local population attributed his being unharmed to relics discovered by a peasant plowing in the vicinity - a discovery attributed to divine intervention.[2][3] The mysterious skeleton was given the name of “San Ciafrè” and the tomb became the focus of a celebrated sanctuary at Crissolo.[2]
The first documentary evidence pointing to a cult devoted to Chiaffredo dates from 1387, when Avignon Pope Clement VII granted indulgences to those who visited the church at Crissolo and helped in its repair.[2] A late 16th century legend written down by Guglielmo Baldesano states that Chiaffredo or Teofredo, soldier of the Theban Legion, escaped to Piedmont to avoid sacrificing to pagan idols and was martyred at Crissolo around 270.[2] Fabio Arduino believes this story to have no historical foundation, as it would have been unlikely for a Roman legionary of the 3rd century to bear such a clearly Germanic name.[2] The name is a variant of Theudofridus, derived from the Germanic theuda- "people," and frithu- "peace."[4]
The sepulcher identified as Chiaffredo's burial place may have been a tomb of pagan origins.[2] Similar to the cults of Constantius at Crissolo, Bessus at Val Soana, Tegulus at Ivrea, Magnus at Castelmagno, and Dalmatius at Borgo San Dalmazzo, the cult of Chiaffredo was linked with that of the Theban Legion to lend antiquity to a local saint about whom nothing was really known.[5]
In 1902, a scholar identified Chiaffredo as the 8th century figure Theofredus (Chaffre, Theofrid, Teofredo), abbot of Le Monastier near Puy-en-Velay, who was killed by Muslim raiders and was also venerated in Piedmont.[2][6]
Tornabuoni, bishop of Saluzzo, declared Chiaffredo patron of his diocese during a synod of 1516, with Constantius (San Costanzo) as co-patron.[2] Chiaffredo's relics were translated to Revello in 1593,[7] and thence to the cathedral of Saluzzo in 1642. Constantius and Chiaffredo are depicted together in the altar of Saluzzo Cathedral.[2]
Chiaffredo enjoyed veneration in Piedmont; one English scholar has written that “beneath the shadow of Monte Viso, San Chiaffredo, a runaway apostle of the Theban legion, has usurped the worship paid in old time to the river-god Eridanus..."[8]
Due to his alleged Theban origins, he is venerated by the Coptic Church.[2] He is however, not mentioned explicitly in the Roman Martyrology, although this martyrology includes Maurice and the Theban Legion as a whole, without naming Chiaffredo specifically.[2]
References
- ^ "Mauritius van Agaunum". www.heiligen-3s.nl. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "San Chiaffredo di Saluzzo su santiebeati.it". Santiebeati.it. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ "La Legione Tebea". www.cartantica.it. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ "Slang Italian Words and Colloquial Expressions". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on 2014-07-12. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ Pomi, Damiano (July 16, 2004). "San Magno". Santi e Beati. Retrieved December 28, 2008.
- ^ "Theofred - Ökumenisches Heiligenlexikon". www.heiligenlexikon.de (in German). Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ "La cappella di San Biagio - Comune di Revello". Archived from the original on 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
- ^ The Academy: A Weekly Review of Literature, Science, and Art. January–June 1882. Volume XXI (London, 1882), 39.
External links
- San Chiaffredo di Saluzzo (in Italian)
- v
- t
- e
- Apollos
- Barnabas
- Mary Magdalene
- Phoebe the Deaconess
- Philemon
- Priscilla and Aquila
- Silvanus
- Stephen
- Timothy
- Titus
- Seventy disciples
- 21 Martyrs of Libya
- Abāmūn
- Abāmūn
- Abanoub
- Abaskhiron
- Alexandrian Martyrs
- Arianus
- Apollonia
- Barbara
- Bashnouna
- Basilides and Potamiana
- Catherine
- Chrysanthus and Daria
- Chiaffredo
- Colluthus
- Cosmas and Damian
- Cyprian and Justina
- Cyrus and John
- Dasya
- Demiana
- Dorothea
- Elias and companions
- Epimachus
- Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius
- Felix and Regula
- Gabriel Abdel El-Metgaly
- Gallicanus
- George
- George Bishop of Assiut
- George El Mozahem
- Gereon
- Hor, Besoy, and Daydara
- Imbaba Martyrs
- Isaac of Dafra
- John of Senhout
- Kosheh martyrs
- Malati
- Marina the Martyr
- Maspero Martyrs
- Maurice
- Memnon
- Menas
- Mohrael
- Moura
- Nag Hammadi
- Otimus
- Philomena
- Philotheos
- Rais
- Sarah
- Sidhom Bishay
- Theban Legion
- Thecla
- Theoclia
- Theodora and Didymus
- Theodore Stratelates
- Varus
- Veronica
- Wadamoun
- Wanas
- Mark I
- Anianus
- Avilius
- Kedron
- Justus
- Eumenes
- Markianos
- Celadion
- Agrippinus
- Julian
- Demetrius I
- Heraclas
- Dionysius
- Theonas
- Felix of Rome
- Peter I
- Alexander I
- Athanasius I
- Peter II
- Timothy I
- Theophilus I
- Cyril I
- Dioscorus I
- Timothy II
- Peter III
- Dioscorus II
- Timothy III
- Theodosius I
- Peter IV
- Damian
- Anastasius
- Andronicus
- Benjamin I
- Agathon
- Simeon I
- Alexander II
- Theodore I
- Michael I
- John IV
- Mark II
- James
- Simeon II
- Joseph I
- Michael II
- Cosmas II
- Michael III
- Gabriel I
- Cosmas III
- Abraham
- Zacharias
- Cyril II
- Macarius II
- Matthew I
- Gabriel VII
- John XIV
- Cyril V
- Macarius III
- Cyril VI
- Abadiu of Antinoe
- Abraam of Faiyum
- Alexander of Jerusalem
- Amun of Scetis
- Basil of Caesarea
- Cyril of Jerusalem
- Epiphanius of Cyprus
- Eusebius of Caesarea
- Gregory of Nazianzus
- Gregory of Nyssa
- Gregory of Neocaesarea
- Ignatius of Antioch
- Jacob of Nisibis
- James of Jerusalem
- John of Nikiû
- John of Jerusalem
- Karas of California
- Mikhaeil of Asyut
- Narcissus of Jerusalem
- Nicholas of Myra
- Paphnutius of Scetis
- Paphnutius of Thebes
- Polycarp of Smyrna
- Porphyrius of Gaza
- Psote of Ebsay
- Serapion of Thmuis
- Severian of Gabala
- Yousab el-Abah of Girga
- Abdel Messih El-Makari
- Abib and Apollo
- Abraham of Farshut
- Abraham of Scetis
- Amun
- Anthony the Great
- Awgin
- Bashnouna
- Hilarion
- Horsiesius
- Hospitius
- Mother Irini
- Isaac of Nineveh
- Isidore of Pelusium
- John Climacus
- John the Dwarf
- Macarius of Alexandria
- Macarius of Egypt
- Marina the Monk
- Moses the Black
- Nilus of Sinai
- Pachomius the Great
- Pambo
- Parsoma
- Patapios
- Paul of Thebes
- Paul of Tammah
- Paul the Simple
- Petronius
- Pishoy
- Poemen
- Samuel the Confessor
- Sisoes the Great
- Tekle Haymanot
- Theodorus of Tabennese
- Theodora of Alexandria
- Christianity portal