Martyrs
Feast: July 12
Summary of Their Life and Martyrdom
Saints Nabor and Felix were Roman soldiers and devout Christians, believed to have been martyred during the Diocletian persecution in the early 4th century, around the year 303 A.D. They were part of the Theban Legion, a cohort of Christian soldiers from Egypt who were stationed in the Roman Empire and known for their steadfast fidelity to the Faith.
According to the Acts of their Martyrdom, preserved in early Latin texts, Nabor and Felix were African by origin and had joined the Roman army. Despite the danger posed by the imperial edicts against Christians, they remained openly faithful. When the Emperor Maximian (co-ruler with Diocletian) issued orders that all soldiers must offer sacrifices to the Roman gods, Nabor and Felix refused.
This refusal marked them for persecution. Arrested and tried for their Christian faith, they declared boldly that they would not renounce Christ, saying they could not worship idols nor betray their King, who is Christ the Lord. For this, they were subjected to cruel torments and eventually beheaded at Laus Pompeia (modern-day Lodi Vecchio, near Milan, Italy). Their bodies were reverently buried by the faithful.
Veneration and Legacy
Their cultus spread rapidly throughout northern Italy. Their relics were first buried at the site of their martyrdom, but later, in the 4th century, they were translated to Milan by Saint Ambrose, who built a basilica in their honor—the Basilica Naboriana, later incorporated into the Basilica of St. Ambrose.
Saint Ambrose himself composed hymns in their honor and often invoked their intercession. Their names appear in early martyrologies, including the Martyrologium Hieronymianum, and they were commemorated jointly on July 12 in the traditional Roman calendar.
Symbolism and Patronage
- They are typically depicted as Roman soldiers with palm branches (symbol of martyrdom) and sometimes swords (symbol of their execution).
- In sacred art, they are often shown standing side by side, representing their brotherhood in both arms and in martyrdom.
- Invoked in northern Italy especially for protection in time of war and persecution.
From the Roman Martyrology (Traditional Latin Text for July 12):
Mediolani, natalis sanctorum Martyrum Naboris et Felicis, ex Exercitu proconsulari, qui, in persecutione Maximiani, ob Christi confessionem, jussi sunt aAnolium, comite, decollari.
At Milan, the natal day of the holy martyrs Nabor and Felix, soldiers from the proconsular army, who, in the persecution of Maximian, were ordered to be beheaded by Anolinus the governor for confessing Christ.
Spiritual Reflection
Saints Nabor and Felix remind us that fidelity to Christ may demand everything—even our lives. As Roman soldiers, they had every worldly incentive to comply with imperial demands. But they chose instead the nobility of the Cross over the honors of Caesar. Their courage is a lesson for all Catholics, especially in times when the Faith is mocked or opposed: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)