Adrian of Nicomedia
Saint Adrian or
Hadrian of
Nicomedia was a
Herculian Guard of the
Roman Emperor Galerius Maximian. After becoming a convert to
Christianity, Adrian was
martyred at Nicomedia on
March 4 303 or
304. It is said that while presiding over the
torture of a band of Christians, he asked them what reward they expected to receive from God. They replied, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (I Corinthians 2:9). He was so amazed at their courage that he publicly confessed his faith. He was imprisoned, and the next day his limbs were struck off on an
anvil, and he was then
beheaded, dying in the arms of his wife, Saint
Natalia of Nicomedia. After he was killed, Adrian and several other martyrs were taken to be burned. When the executioners began to burn their bodies, a
thunderstorm arose and the
furnace was extinguished;
lightning killed several of the
executioners. Later, Christians took Adrian's body and buried him on the outskirts of
Byzantium.
Saint Adrian shares a
feast day with his wife on
September 8; he also has feast days alone on
March 4 and
August 26. He is protector against the plague, and patron of old soldiers, arms dealers, butchers and communications phenomena. He was the chief military saint of Northern Europe for many ages, second only to
St. George, and is much revered in
Flanders,
Germany and the north of
France. He is usually represented armed, with an anvil in his hands or at his feet.
