Emeterius and Celedonius

Saints Emeterius and Celedonius
Statue of Emeterius, Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, La Rioja.
Died	~300 Calahorra
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Catholic Church
Feast	August 30
Attributes	depicted as two young soldiers
Patronage	Calahorra; Santander

Saints Emeterius (Hemeterius) and Celedonius (Spanish: San Emeterio y San Celedonio; Latin: Emeterius et Caeledonius; died c. 300 AD) are venerated as saints by the Catholic Church. Two Roman legionaries (and possibly also brothers), they were martyred for their faith around 300. They are patron saints of Calahorra (La Rioja), which is traditionally regarded as the place of their death.

They are said to have been serving in this city at the end of the third century or at the beginnings of the fourth. According to one legend, they were the sons of the martyr Marcellus the Centurion. It may have been during either the persecutions of Diocletian or of Valerian when they were imprisoned and forced to decide between renouncing the faith or leaving the army.

Their legend states that they were tortured and finally decapitated on the banks of the Cidacos River outside of Calahorra, which became the site of the actual cathedral of the city and explains its strange location beyond the city walls. The heads of these saints are said to have floated to Santander aboard a boat made of stone. A community of monks who lived in that city became custodians of these holy relics.