Saint Germanicus | |
Death Date: | 155 |
Feast Day: | 19 January |
Venerated In: | Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church |
Death Place: | Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey) |
Titles: | Martyr |
Canonized Date: | Pre-congregation |
Saint Germanicus was a youth who was arrested and martyred for his faith in Smyrna during the reign of the Roman Emperor Antoninus. As Germanicus stood in the arena, facing a wild beast, the Roman proconsul pleaded with him that in view of his youth he should deny his faith to obtain a pardon. But the young man refused to apostatize, and willingly embraced martyrdom.[1]
Germanicus was praised for his courage facing the wild beasts used to kill him,[2] and was referenced in the Martyrdom of Polycarp.