Today is the feast of the Spanish Visigothic St Hermenegild, who was martyred on the orders of his father King Leovigild, or Liuvigild, on this day in 585 for his adherence to Catholic rather than Arian Christianity. At the time he was only twenty one.
The Apotheosis of St Hermenegild
Francisco de Herrero the Elder (1576-1656)
Painted 1620-24
The martyr is shown ascending into Heaven. On the left is St Leander with Hermenegild’s son whilst Leander’s brother St Isidore, is shown on the right. King Leovigild crouches with his face averted.
Image :Wikimedia
There is another account of the story from the National Catholic Reporter at April 13, St. Hermenegild, Martyr
The Triumph of St Hermenegild
Francisco de Herrero the Younger (1622-1685)
Painted 1654
Image: Wikipedia
Both these paintings point to devotion to the Saint through such commissions and how he appealed to the Spanish Baroque imagination.
This royal martyr is the patron of the Spanish Armed Services and of the Royal and Military Order of St Hermenegild which was founded as a military award by King Ferdinand VII in 1814. It is in many ways the equivalent of the British Order of the Bath (1725/1815) and the Austrian Order of Maria Theresa (1757). It has four classes and is essentially a recognition for faithful length of service. Wikipedia has an account of it at Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild
The distinctive Roman purple and white riband of the Order can be seen being worn frequently on pictures of Spanish State and Military occasions.
St Hermenegild pray for Spain and for fidelity to orthodox belief in the Church
No comments:
Post a Comment