A Bronze Applique Of A Warrior Saint, 14th Century

Military saints, warrior saints, and soldier saints are patron saints, martyrs, and other saints associated with the military. They were originally composed of early Christians who were soldiers in the Roman army during the persecution of Christians, particularly the persecution of Diocletian from 303 to 313 AD. Most early Christian military saints were soldiers of the Roman Empire who became Christians and, after refusing to participate in the rituals of the imperial cult of loyalty to the Roman emperor, they were subjected to corporal punishment, including torture and martyrdom. The veneration of these saints, particularly Saint George, was reinforced in the Latin Church at the time of the Crusades. The title "champion of Christ" (athleta Christi) was originally used for these saints, but by the late medieval period it was also conferred on contemporary leaders by the pope.

Dimensions: 5x3.2 cm. This applique comes from a large Austrian collection from the 1940s.