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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Name

Nabor and Felix, brothers, soldiers and martyrs, buried in Milan

Saint ID

S00609

Number in BH

BHL 6028, 6029, 6029b ,6029c

Reported Death Not Before

303

Reported Death Not After

312

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Martyrs, Soldiers, Groups and pairs of saints
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00904Paulinus of Milan's Life of *Ambrose (bishop of Milan, ob. 397, S00490) relates how Ambrose discovered the bodies of *Gervasius and Protasius (brothers and martyrs of Milan, S00313) close to those of *Nabor and Felix (brothers, soldiers and martyrs, buried in Milan, S00609). Their transfer to a new basilica was accompanied by miracles, but the identity of the martyrs and the veracity of the miracles were contested by Arians; all in 386 in Milan (northern Italy). Written in Latin in North Africa, c. 422.
E01987The Latin Martyrdom of *Nabor and Felix (brothers, soldiers and martyrs, buried in Milan, S00609), in a number of divergent versions, narrates how these soldier brothers were arrested in Milan, questioned, tortured and brought to Lodi, where they were executed; their bodies were brought back to Milan and buried there (the return of the bodies to Milan is omitted in one version of the text). Written presumably originally in Milan, probably in the 5th or 6th c.
E04848The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 11 June.
E04877The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 10 July.
E04879The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 12 July.
E04958The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 16 September.
E05211Ambrose of Milan, in a letter to his sister (Letter 77), narrates the discovery of the relics of *Gervasius and Protasius (brothers and martyrs of Milan, S00313) and their subsequent translation to the Basilica Ambrosiana in Milan (northern Italy). Written in Latin in Milan, c. 386.
E05214Hymn (Victor Nabor Felix pii), almost certainly by Ambrose of Milan, for *Nabor and Felix (brothers, soldiers and martyrs, buried in Milan, S00609) and *Victor ('Maurus'/the Moor, soldier and martyr of Milan, S00312). Written in Latin in Milan (northern Italy), probably after 386.
E06046Mosaics in the nave of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna (northern Italy) depicting twenty-two female saints, preceded by the three Magi, processing towards the Virgin and Child, and twenty-six male saints, probably originally preceded by *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), processing towards Christ; created under Bishop Agnellus, 557/570.
E06586The Latin Gelasian Sacramentary (or Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Ecclesiae), probably compiled around 750 near Paris using earlier material from Rome, records prayers to saints on their feast days in June.
E08123Anonymous poem, commissioned by Perpetuus (bishop of Tours 458/459-488/489) and recorded in the Martinellus, for a shrine (memoria) with relics of *John (the Baptist, S00020), *Felix (probably the soldier and martyr of Milan, brother of Nabor, S00609), *Victor (probably Victor 'Maurus', soldier and martyr of Milan, S00312), and *Gervasius and Protasius (brothers and martyrs of Milan, S00313); probably in, or very near, the basilica of Martin at Tours (north-west Gaul). Written in Latin at Tours.
E08256Latin inscription recording the presence of relics of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), *Felix (possibly the martyr of Gerona, S00408), and *Vincentius (probably the martyr of Zaragoza and Valencia, S00290). Found near Calama (Numidia, central North Africa). Probably 6th/7th c.
E0831535 relic labels at Sens (northern Gaul), datable by their script to the 7th or 8th c., for relics of a great diversity of saints. Written in Latin, perhaps at Sens, or at an earlier stage in their transmission.