Demetrius of Sirmium
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Demetrius of Sirmium | |
|---|---|
 Statue depicting Saint Demetrius from early 20th century, before revival of his cult as deacon | |
| Born | 270 Sirmium, Roman Empire |
| Died | 9th April, 304 Sirmium, Roman Empire |
| Venerated in | |
| Major shrine | Cathedral Basilica of St. Demetrius, Sremska Mitrovica |
| Feast | 9th April (martyrdom) & 26th October |
| Attributes | depicted wearing the deacons dalmatic or roman toga, usually carrying a palm branch or crucifix, sometimes portrayed with scorpion next to him |
| Patronage | Sremska Mitrovica, Diocese of Syrmia; Crusades; Deacons; Persecuted; Pannonia; University of Zadar; |
Saint Demetrius of Sirmium (around 270, Sirmium, Roman Empire–9th April, 304 Sirmium, Roman Empire) was Roman deacon and martyr of the early 4th century.
He is commonly confused for Greek saint from Tessaloniki who had same name and lived in same period. [1] [2]
Life
He was born around 270 AD in Sirmium, present-day Sremska Mitrovica, as the son of a high-ranking officer. He was a deacon of city's bishop, Irenaeus, entrusted with safeguarding sacred texts. He was sentenced to death, tortured, and executed (most probably by decapitation) alongside with his fellow deacons Donatus and Fortunatus, close to main city's gate on Easter Sunday, 304[3]. He's most famous among the so-called martyrs of Syrmia. [4]
Basilica
The Basilica of St. Demetrius was erected by the Roman prefect Leontius between 426 and 441 as a three-nave basilica of the Greek type at the site believed to be where Demetrius was martyred. It was destroyed during the Avar siege of the city of Sirmium in 505 St. Demetrius is also believed to have been a co-patron saint of the small Romanesque chapel near the entrance to the city's imperial palace. [5]
Iconography
Iconographically, St. Demetrius is depicted as deacon or lector, vested in white toga with red deacons stole. According to later, Thessalonikian tradition, caused by previous mix up, he is wrongly portrayed as young legionary, vested in roman armour. [6]
References
- ^ Andrić, Stanko. Bazilijanski i benediktinski samostan sv. Dimitrija u Srijemskoj Mitrovici.
- ^ Milanović, M. "Poreklo hrišćanstva u Srbiji (7): Čiji je Dimitrije?". Vesti online. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ "USKRS U SRIJEMSKOMITROVAČKOJ KATEDRALI". Srijemska Biskupija.
- ^ Marić, Marica. "Sv. DEMETRIJE SRIJEMSKI". Portal Veterani. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ Vasilić, Branko. Sirmium-Sremska Mitrovica.
- ^ Badurina, Anđelko. Leksikon Ikonografije Liturgike i Simbolike Zapadnog Krscanstva.