Gerontius of Cervia

Saint Gerontius was bishop of Cervia (then called Ficocle), in Italy, and died in the year 501, killed on his way back from a council held at Rome. He is the first known bishop of that city and is venerated as a martyr. The Church commemorates him on 9 May.

After Pope Symmachus was accused of grave misdeeds, a council was held at Rome in 501, which examined the matter and confirmed Symmachus' right to the papal throne. Gerontius, a supporter of Symmachus, went to that council with Viticanus, bishop of Cagli. On the way back, on the Via Flaminia near Cagli, close to Ancona, they were attacked by bandits, and Gerontius was killed. The legend speaks of "heretics", perhaps Goths, or more probably Heruli of the army of Odoacer. According to other accounts the killers were soldiers of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric, who supported the antipope Laurentius and whom Gerontius had angered by taking Symmachus' side.

The tenth-⁠century life

The life of the saint was written in the tenth century and mixes historical facts with legendary motifs. It says that Bishop Gerontius was accused of living with his nieces, who, after the example of Abishag the Shunammite warming King David, warmed the bishop at night. It also tells that his innocence was shown by miracles: wild geese that came to the bishop grazed like domestic ones, and his pallium shone like the sun. Summoned all the same before a council at Rome, he was fully cleared. The life identifies that council with the one of 501.

His relics are venerated at Cagli. In art his emblem is a goose.