Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Martyrology. Named in nearly every Latin Martyrology, Salisbury, York, and Scottish Kalendars. Authority: — The Acts, which are late; probably an amplification of the account in the Martyrologies.] T Prseneste, the modern Palestrina, a boy of fifteen, named Agapetus, was taken and brought before the governor Antiochus, in the reign of Aurelian.

He was beaten severely, and then thrust into a dark and loathsome dungeon, where he was left without food, or water, or light for four days. He was then drawn forth sick, faint, dazzled by the glare of the sun, before Antiochus; when asked if he would sacrifice, he shook his head. Red hot coals were poured over his head and bare shoulders; he was then suspended by his feet, head, downwards, over smoke, and beaten. When nearly unconscious, he was laid on the ground, and boiling water poured over his breast and belly, his jaw was broken with a stone, but still he lived. Antiochus the governor fell off his throne in a fit, and died. News was taken to Aurelian [Roman emperor 270–275], who ordered Agapetus to be cast to lions in the amphitheatre, but the lions refused to touch him, crouching at his feet, and licking them. He.S'. Agapetus.

was therefore taken away to where stand two columns outside the gate of Prseneste, and then his head was struck off. It is in favour of the story, that Varius Antiochianus was prefect of Rome in 272, he had been consul in 270. It is also true that a persecution did break out under Aurelian, though it did not last long. But the greater part of the story is nevertheless fabulous. That Agapetus was a boy brought before Varius Antiochianus, that he was scourged, imprisoned and decapitated, is all that can be admitted as probable. Late Acts of the Martyrs are always stuffed with tortures, exposure to fire, water, lions, none of which hurt, and all end with the martyrs losing their heads; when everything else fails, cold steel succeeds. In. such cases we may be generally sure that the preceding narratives of tortures and miraculous recovery from them are pure inventions. The body of S. Agapetus is shown in the church bearing his name at Palestrina, entire. Another entire body in the church of S. Trypho at Rome, another in the cathedral at Parma, another in the church of S. Stephen at Milan, another under the high altar of S. Maria de Consolatione at Rome, but this most probably is the body of S. Agapetus, martyr with S. Sixtus, and S. Felicissimus. Another body of S. Agapetus, given by Pope Innocent X. to the convent of S. Agnes at Bologna; an arm at S. Gereon’s, Cologne, but this may have belonged to the martyr of the same name who suffered with S. Sixtus., Other relics [the bodily remains of a saint, or objects they used, kept with honor] at Liesse in Aisne near Avenne, brought from Constantinople in 1 208, others at Cremsmunster in Austria, apparently the entire body, which, it is pretended, was given by Pope Adrian I. A head of S. Agapetus at Besancon. These various bodies probably belong to martyrs of the same name, whose Acts have been lost. The name is not an uncommon one.