Saints Primus and Felician - Brothers who suffered martyrdom about the year 297 AD

ROMAN SOLDIERS AND MISSIONARIES TO GERMANY
Primus and Felician were wealthy Roman brothers. Having already reached the age of maturity, the Lord made them to hear His voice inviting them to forsake their vain idols. Earlier in their youth they had served as legionaries defending the Roman frontier walls from Germanic barbarians. Now as Christians they returned to Bavaria and crossed the Danube in order to serve as missionaries. In a forrest, Primus found a miraculous spring. They preached the Gospel and cured many with these waters. This fountain, known as the Fountain of St. Primus, can still be seen in Adelholzen near various hot springs. A chapel was constructed there in 1615 and veneration to these two saints is still vibrant in that area.

WORKS OF CHARITY IN ROME
Hearing of the difficulties the Christians encountered in Rome, the two brothers returned home to devote themselves to caring for the poor and visiting prisoners. Brothers according to the flesh, they now became more really such by fidelity to the same call of grace. Primus, the elder brother, was about eighty years old when they were both accused of professing the Christian religion during the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian. They were scourged, cast into prison, and bound with irons. Yet these an angel broke, and they resumed their works of faith and charity. Soon their public display of Christian piety led to their being brought once more before the praetor. Together they most earnestly clung to the Christian Faith. Thus the praetor sought to separate them one from the other in order to weaken them by depriving them of the mutual support they gave one another.

THE BROTHERS ARE SEPARATED AND DECEIVED
The steadfastness of Felician was the first to be put to the test in diverse ways. As they who strove to persuade him to impiety found it hopeless to gain aught from him by words, he was fastened hand and foot to a stake, and there left to hang for three days without either food or drink. One can only imagine how excruciating this pain was, especially to a man advanced in years.

The day after that, the praetor having called Primus before him, thus addressed him: "Do you see how much wiser is your brother than you? He is obedient and has submitted himself to the emperor as his proper authority. In turn, the emperor has bestowed upon him great honor and dignity. You now have only to follow your prudent brother's example and will likewise enjoy his honors and favors."

Primus replied, "What has in truth befallen my brother, I do know. What eternal honors he is meriting, I do know. For an angel has visited and revealed it to me. He has disobeyed the emperor in order to honor and obey the one True Living God. Would to God, that seeing I have the same will that he hath, I were not divided from him in the same martyrdom."

CONVERSIONS AND MARTYRDOM
These words incited the wrath of the praetor. In addition to the torments which he had already inflicted on Primus, he now ordered boiling lead to be poured into his mouth. This was done in the presence of Felician, still hanging upon the wood. After that, the praetor had both brothers dragged into the coliseum, and two lions were let lose upon them. About twelve thousand blood-thirsty and jeering spectators were present. Yet the ravenous lions only fawned upon the knees of the saints, making friends with them, caressing them by moving their heads and tails around them. This amazing spectacle converted to the Christian religion five hundred persons of the assembled crowd, together with their households.

The praetor, incensed to an even greater anger by what had transpired, ordered Primus and Felician to be beheaded with the ax. Thus they entered into heavenly glory.

VENERATION
In 648 AD, Pope Theodore translated the bones of these two saints to the celebrated Roman sanctuary consecrated to St. Stephen Proto-Martyr, on Monte Coelio. Their relics remain there to this day and form the church's richest treasure.