Fast, concise facts and information about Saint Peter Martyr The following provides fast and concise facts and information: - The patron of Inquisitors and Midwives
- Born: 1205 in Verona
- Memorial Day / Feast Day: April 28th
- Dominican preacher and Inquisitor in Italy
- Date of Death: Saint Peter Martyr died in A.D. 1252
- Cause of Death: Stabbed
Who or what is Saint Peter Martyr the patron saint of? Saint Peter Martyr is the patron of Inquisitors and Midwives. Meanings, definition and origins - a patron is considered to be a defender of a specific group of people or of a nation. There is a patron for virtually every cause, profession or special interest. Prayers are considered more likely to be answered by asking a patron for intercession on their behalf. The Story and History of Saint Peter Martyr The story and history of Saint Peter Martyr. Saint Peter Martyr was born in the year 1205 at Verona in Italy. His family belonged to a religious sect called the Cathars meaning "pure ones", which were popular in the region of Verona at that time. The Cathars were perceived as dangerous as they spread the word that Rome had betrayed and corrupted the original purity of the message of Christianity. Peter of Verona (Peter Martyr) received a good education and attended a Catholic school and went on to study at the University of Bologna where he met met Saint Dominic and then joined the Dominican Friars, forsaking the beliefs of the Cathars and adhering to the traditional Catholic Faith. His preaching was so successful that he attracted the attention of Pope Innocent III. Pope Innocent III had come to power in 1198 and had been determined to began a programme of conversion for the Cathars. By 1229 Inquisition he established an Inquisition to discover the leaders and followers of Catharism. Pope Innocent IV became Pope in 1243 and in 1252 appointed Peter Martyr the Inquisitor for Lombardy. Cathars who refused to recant were dealt with severely and punishments ranged from being sentenced to galley slaves or burned at the stake. In 1252 St. Peter Martyr was murdered by the hired Cathar assassins of two noblemen of the Venetian States whom he had handed over to the secular authorities accused of adhering to Catharism, and who, in consequence, had been imprisoned. St. Peter Martyr was attacked with an axe receiving wounds to his head and then stabbed in the heart. Death of Saint Peter Martyr There are two categories of saints: martyrs and confessors. A Christian martyr is regarded as one who is put to death for his Christian faith or convictions. Confessors are people who died natural deaths. Date of Death: Saint Peter Martyr died April 6, 1252. Cause of Death: Struck on the head with an axe and then stabbed through the heart. Why is Saint Peter Martyr the patron of Inquisitors? Why is Saint Peter Martyr is the patron of Inquisitors ? He was the Inquisitor for Lombardy. How Saint Peter Martyr is represented in Christian Art It is helpful to be able to recognise Saint Peter Martyr in paintings, stained glass windows, illuminated manuscripts, architecture and other forms of Christian art. The artistic representations reflect the life or death of saints, or an aspect of life with which the person is most closely associated. Saint Peter Martyr is represented in Christian Art with an axe buried in his head and blood trickling down his face, and a sword piercing his heart. This was the manner in which the assassins accomplished their work.
Feast Day of Saint Peter Martyr The Feast Day of Saint Peter Martyr is April 28th. The origin of Feast Days: most saints have specially designated feast days and are associated with a specific day of the year and these are referred to as the saint's feast day. The feast days first arose from the very early Christian custom of the annual commemoration of martyrs on the dates of their deaths at the same time celebrating their birth into heaven. |