The Ante-Nicene Church · AD 180–313
Vincent of Saragossa
d. c. 304 · Deacon of Saragossa · Martyr · Saragossa → Valencia, Hispania
The Ante-Nicene Church
Who Vincent of Saragossa was
Deacon of Saragossa and the most famous Spanish martyr of the Great Persecution, tortured to death at Valencia under the governor Dacian. Prudentius devoted a hymn of his Peristephanon to him, and Augustine preached that his feast was kept “over the whole Roman world wherever the name of Christ is honoured” — a measure of how quickly a provincial deacon’s constancy became a Mediterranean cult. His deacon’s office links him to Lawrence a half-century before; the two archdeacon-martyrs frame the age of persecution.
Also listed in martyrs and the great persecution.
Common questions
When did Vincent die?
Vincent of Saragossa is dated d. c. 304 in the archive, which places Vincent in the Ante-Nicene Church (AD 180–313). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
Which early sources mention Vincent?
Vincent of Saragossa is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Prudentius, Augustine of Hippo and The Spanish hagiographer. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Vincent from?
The archive associates Vincent of Saragossa with Saragossa, Valencia, Hispania. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.
Who were Vincent’s contemporaries?
The archive links Vincent of Saragossa to 3 other figures, including Lawrence (Laurentius) of Rome, Emperor Diocletian and Dacian, Governor of Hispania. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (3)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Crowns of Martyrdom 5
c. AD 405Sermon 274 (on the feast of Vincent)
c. AD 410Wherever the name of Christ is honoured, Vincent is honoured too… He conquered in words, he conquered in pains, he conquered in confession, he conquered in the fire.Augustine of Hippo · source text
The Passion of Vincent (the passio behind the sermons)
c. AD 420Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 235 · Maximinus Thrax targets the clergy, AD 235
- AD 250 · The Decian persecution, AD 250
- AD 251 · The Novatianist schism, AD 251
- AD 257 · The Valerian persecution, AD 257
- AD 260 · Gallienus’ edict of toleration, AD 260
- AD 268 · Antioch deposes Paul of Samosata, AD 268
- AD 272 · Aurelian awards the Antioch church, AD 272
- AD 301 · Hripsime and her company, AD 301
- AD 303 · The Great Persecution begins, AD 303
- AD 303 · The search of the church at Cirta, AD 303
Place
Places served
The 3 places the sources put Vincent, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.