Saints Protus and Hyacinth

The cult of Protus and Hyacinth goes back at least to the fourth century, and it’s documented by two very solid things: the Depositio martyrum, which records their burial in the cemetery of Basilla on the Via Salaria and sets their memorial on September 11, and an inscription by Pope Damasus recalling the restoration of their tomb. A much later and legendary passio makes them two brothers, eunuch slaves of Saint Eugenia, who supposedly converted their mistress and were killed under Valerian. Then, in 1845, something happened that rarely happens in this field. The Jesuit archaeologist Giuseppe Marchi, digging in the catacomb of Saint Hermes, found a tomb that had never been disturbed. On it was a slab that read: *dep III idus septembres Yacinthus martyr* — laid to rest on September 11, Hyacinth, martyr. Inside were the bones, charred, wrapped in a precious cloth. It’s one of the very few cases in which the relics of a Roman martyr of the early centuries have been found intact, in their original place, with the name written on top. The fact that the bones were burned matches the story, for once. Those of Protus, on the other hand, had already been taken away in the ninth century. If your name is Hyacinth, today is your name day.