Saint Getulius

Saint Getulius
Protomartyrs of Sabina
Born	Gabii (Getulius)
Died	120 AD Gabii
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Major shrine	Sant'Angelo in Pescheria, Rome
Feast	June 10

Saint Getulius (died 120 AD) is venerated together with Amantius (Amancius), Cerealus (Caerealis), and Primitivus (Italian: Getulio, Amanzio, Cereale, e Primitivo) as a Christian martyr and saint. They are considered to have died at Gabii. According to tradition, Getulius was the husband of Saint Symphorosa. Getulius is a name meaning “of the Gaetuli,” which was a tribe of North Africa.

According to his legend, Getulius was a native of Gabii in Sabina. Getulius was an officer in the Roman army who resigned when he became a Christian. He retired to his estates near Tivoli. Caerealis was an imperial legate sent to arrest him but was converted to Christianity by Getulius. Primitivus was another officer sent to arrest him, but he was also converted. Amantius was Getulius' brother.

According to his Passio, all four men were tied to a stake and set alight. However, the fire did not harm them, so they were brutally clubbed and then beheaded.

According to the Roman Martyrology, Getulius was killed on the Via Salaria and is called the father of the Seven Martyrs and the husband of Symphorosa. His companions are called Caerealis, Amantius, and Primitivus. They were imprisoned, thrown into the flames but emerged unharmed, and then beaten to death with clubs. The legend further states that Saint Symphorosa buried them in an arenarium on her estate.

Their seven sons (not to be confused with the seven sons of Felicity of Rome) are named specifically. According to their legend, each of them suffered a different kind of martyrdom. Crescens was pierced through the throat, Julian through the breast, Nemesius through the heart, Primitivus was wounded at the navel, Justinus was pierced through the back, Stracteus (Stacteus, Estacteus) was wounded at the side, and Eugenius was cleft in two parts from top to bottom.

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