Primitivus

Who they were

Primitivus was one of the seven sons of Saint Symphorosa of Tivoli and her husband, the martyr Getulius. Guéranger gives the Breviary lesson for their feast, and says the liturgy gives only a very short account. Under the emperor Hadrian the mother and her seven sons, Crescentius, Julian, Nemesius, Primitivus, Justin, Stacteus and Eugenius, were arrested because they were Christians.

They stayed firm under many tortures. Symphorosa was thrown into the river with a stone tied to her neck. The next day the seven brothers were tied to stakes and killed in different ways; Primitivus was stabbed in the stomach. Their bodies were thrown into a deep pit on the Tiburtine Way, nine miles from Rome, and were later moved into the city and buried in the church of the Holy Angel in the fish market.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.

Why that counted as sanctity

Early martyr under Hadrian, one of the seven sons of Saint Symphorosa, honoured on 18 July.

Connected on this site

• Getulius Saint Father, Parent