Saint-Victor. Other names: Victor the Moor, Viktor; Vittore; Vittoria.
Reliquary containing afirst class relic Ex Ossibus of Saint Victor, at Relics.es
Victor was a Roman legionnaire, one of the few survivors of Maurice d'Agaune's 6,500 soldiers, The EmperorMaximian Hercules, in active struggle against Christianity, which he accused of dividing and weakening the empire, decided to punish his officer Victor and the other Christian soldiers who had joined him in prison, Alexandre, Longin and Félicien. During his trial, on July 21 of the year 303 Victor refused, like the other saints of antiquity, to sacrifice to the gods and the emperor. Maximian called Victor back to his tribunal and ordered him to worship an idol of Jupiter. Victor, seized with horror, pushed the altar with his foot and overturned it as well as the idol. The tyrant, to avenge his god, had the valiant Christian's foot cut off. Victor offered this member to Jesus Christ as the firstfruits of his sacrifice. Then it was placed under the millstone of a mill to be crushed, but the machine broke down; to finish off the victim, it was necessary to cut off his head.
Therelics of Saint Victor were discovered in the catacombs of Saint-Victor in the 4th century. They were transported to the surface and deposited in a church that was built in his honor. This church became one of the main places of pilgrimage in the Marseille region, and the relics of Saint Victor were venerated as sacred relics.
Over the centuries, the relics of Saint Victor have been associated with numerous miracles and healings. They have also been the object of numerous pilgrimages, and have been venerated by generations of the faithful.
The Saint-Victor de Marseille church is today an important place of pilgrimage for Christians of all denominations. The relics of Saint Victor are exhibited there in a silver reliquary and are still venerated with fervor by pilgrims.
