Felician of Foligno

Saint Felician the Hieromartyr was bishop of Foligno in Italy, and its patron, killed around 250. The Church remembers him on 24 January.

According to Christian tradition he was born around 160 at Forum Flaminii, now San Giovanni Profiamma, on the Via Flaminia, into a Christian family. He was a disciple of Pope Eleutherius and preached in Foligno, Spello, Bevagna, Assisi, Perugia, Norcia, Plestia, Trevi and Spoleto. Pope Victor I consecrated him bishop of Foligno around 204 and he was the first bishop to receive the pallium as a sign of his office. He ordained Saint Valentine of Terni a priest. He shepherded for over fifty years and was one of the first Christian bishops of northern Italy. Arrested at ninety-⁠four for refusing to sacrifice to the pagan gods in the persecution of Decius, he was tortured and scourged and died outside the city, on the way to Rome for execution. In prison he was visited by his disciple Messalina of Foligno, a consecrated virgin, who had received the habit from him, cared for him and was then arrested and beaten to death for refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods.

A church was built over his grave in Foligno. His relics were moved to Metz on 4 October 970. In 965 some reached Minden in Germany, and Felician was mistakenly thought bishop there, with a separate feast, 20 October, an error that entered the Roman Martyrology. Some relics returned to Foligno in 1673 and 1674. Foligno Cathedral keeps a statue of the saint, of silver and bronze, made by Giovanni Battista Maini.