Saints Nazarius and Celsus

Saints Nazarius and Celsus
Giovanni Antonio Merli, Saint Nazarius on a horse, 1480. St. Nazarius and Celsus Abbey, San Nazzaro Sesia.
Martyrs
Born	Rome (Nazarius); Gaul (Celsus)
Died	Milan
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Feast	28 July
Attributes	depicted as a man and boy walking on the sea

Saints Nazarius and Celsus (Italian: San Nazaro e San Celso) were two martyrs of whom nothing is known except the discovery of their bodies by Saint Ambrose.

According to Paulinus the Deacon's Vita Ambrosii, Ambrose, at some time within the last three years of his life, after the death of the Emperor Theodosius (d. 395), discovered in a garden outside the walls of Milan the body of Saint Nazarius, with severed head. Nazarius's blood was reportedly still liquid and red when his body was exhumed by Ambrose. Ambrose had it carried to the Basilica of the Apostles. In the same garden Ambrose likewise discovered the body of Saint Celsus, which he had transported to the same place. The Catholic Encyclopedia states: "Obviously a tradition regarding these martyrs was extant in the Christian community of Milan which led to the finding of the two bodies."

Nazarius was a citizen of Rome whose father was Jewish or pagan. His mother was Saint Perpetua. Nazarius was a student of Saint Peter and was baptized by Saint Linus. During the persecutions of Nero, Nazarius fled Rome and preached in Lombardy, visiting Piacenza and Milan, where he met the brothers Gervase and Protase, who had been imprisoned and who inspired Nazarius by their example. Nazarius was whipped and condemned to exile by the authorities. He traveled to Gaul, where a young boy of nine, Celsus, was entrusted to his care after the boy’s mother asked Nazarius to teach and baptize her son. Nazarius raised him as a Christian. The two were arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for their faith. They were released on condition they would not preach at this place any longer. They preached in the Alps and built a chapel at Embrun, and then continued on to Geneva, and then Trier. They preached in Trier, and converted many to Christianity, and they were imprisoned once again there. Celsus was entrusted to the care of a pagan lady, who attempted to make him abjure his faith. Celsus refused, and was eventually returned to Nazarius.