Luxorius (saint)
Luxurius or Luxorius (Italian - Lussorio; Pisan dialect - Rossore) might have been an ancient Roman official on Sardinia in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries. Apparitor to Delphius, the praeses or governor of the island, he could have been converted to Christianity by reading the Psalms. He possibly was beheaded on 21 August for refusing to sacrifice to idols in the city of Forum Traiani (present-day Fordongianus), probably in 304 during the fourth of Diocletian's persecutions. Maybe, he was venerated as a martyr and saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
Luxurius | |
|---|---|
 Donatello, San Rossore Reliquary | |
| Born | 3rd century |
| Died | 21 August, probably in 304 Forum Traiani (now Fordongianus) |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | 21 August |
| Attributes | Palm branch |
The main source for his martyrdom are the 5th century Martyrologium Hieronimianum and the Passio sancti Luxorii martyris (Codex Sancrucensis 13 cc. 238-239). The latter was written in the years immediately after 1181 and is now held in Heiligenkreuz Abbey, a Cistercian house in Austria. A marble Latin inscription dating to the 6th century built into the south side of san Lussorio church about 1.5km from Fordongianus attests to his cult at that date: "(H)ic effusus est sangu(is) / beatissimi martyris / Luxuri. Celebratur / natale eius XII c(a)l(enda)s S(e)p(tem)b(re)s / renobatu(r) sup temporibus Helia(e) ep(is)c(o)p(i)."
In 599 Gregory the Great should have wrote a letter to Januarius, bishop of Cagliari, referring to a monastery dedicated to saints Gavinus and Luxurius, probably in Cagliari itself, showing the spread of Luxurius' cult across Sardinia. He is the patron saint of several Italian cities.