Saint Marcellus was a centurion who was born and lived in Leon during the second half of the third century. He is venerated as a saint and patron saint of the city of León. The other local saint, Saint Froilán, is the patron saint of the diocese.
While serving as a centurion, he was required to participate in official pagan events. In particular, the celebration of the birthday of Emperor Maximianus Herculeus (or of the emperors under the diarchy) in the year 298. Tradition narrates that Marcellus, seeing that the celebration was contrary to his Christian conscience, stood up, threw down his centurion insignia (belt, sword), and declared: “I serve Jesus Christ, eternal King”.
Family man
He was immediately arrested. According to the Roman Martyrology, he was first tried in Spain on July 21, 298, although his final trial and beheading in Tangier is set for October 29 or 30, 298. The prefect Aurelius Agricolanus passed sentence of death by beheading, considering that Marcellus had abandoned his military post and disowned the imperial cult.
St. Marcellus is presented married to St. Nonia (or Nona) and father of twelve children. Among them Claudius, Lupertius and Victoricus, also martyrs. His relics were transferred to the city of León, in Spain, of which he is patron saint.
Blessed Alexander Zaryckyj, dead in Dolinka
Among other saints, the Ukrainian Blessed Alexander Zaryckyj, born in 1912, is also celebrated today. He was ordained a priest in 1936, served as a parish priest, and in 1948 was arrested by the authorities during World War II. After being arrested and then exiled in Karaganda (Kazakhstan), he was released from prison in 1956 thanks to a general amnesty, and later appointed apostolic administrator of Kazakhstan and Siberia. But in 1962 he was arrested again and died. martyr of faith a year later in the Dolinka concentration camp (Kazakhstan).
