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 originally consisted of early Christians who were soldiers in the Roman army during the persecution of Christians, particularly the Diocletianic Persecution of 303–313 AD. Most early Christian military saints were soldiers of the Roman Empire who had become Christians and, after refusing to participate in the rituals of the imperial cult of loyalty to the Roman emperor, were subjected to corporal punishment, including torture and martyrdom. The veneration of these saints, especially Saint George, was reinforced in the Latin Church during 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 rulers by the Pope.

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