Ceccardus of Luni

Ceccardus of Luni (Ceccardo) was bishop of Luni in Liguria in the 9th century, and received the crown of martyrdom in the year 860, killed, it is believed, by the Vikings of Hastein and Björn Ironside when they sacked the city. He is patron of the city of Carrara. He is venerated in the Western Church and commemorated on 16 June.

As a cleric he drew up a brief commemoration of the episcopate of Petroald (816? to 826?), signing himself "Sicheradus Silitraldi"; the name indicates his probable origin from a Byzantine family. He suffered as bishop when the Vikings of Hastein conquered Luni in 860. Hastein, a Viking chieftain, had joined around 860 with Björn Ironside for an expedition to raid countries of the Mediterranean. After sacking Nîmes and Arles, they turned to Italy and attacked the city of Luna. Believing it to be Rome, Hastein had his men carry him to the gate and told the guards he was dying and wished to become a Christian. Once inside, he was taken to the church and received the sacraments, after which he leapt from the stretcher and led the assault. The bishop was at once honored as a martyr.

The place indicated by the legends is marked by the church of San Ceccardo ad Acquas, attested at least from the 14th century, which contains a small spring that rose where the first stream of the martyr's blood is said to have flowed. His body is in the cathedral of Carrara and has been examined at least five times, in 1599, 1625, 1782, 1949 and at the end of the 1990s. The cult was strongly promoted by the Canons Regular of San Frediano of Lucca, who looked after the cathedral until the late 18th century. The feast of 16 June is a solemnity for Carrara, the commune and the vicariate.