Rictius Varus Explained

Rictius Varus (Rictiovarus, Rixius Varus, Rexius Vicarius) was a Vicarius in Roman Gaul at the end of the 3rd century, around the time of the Diocletianic Persecution. The Roman Martyrology contains many references to the prefect Rixius Varus, who is said to have persecuted hundreds of Christians.^[1] In Christian hagiography he later repented and became a Christian martyr himself, and is regarded a Saint in the Eastern Orthodox^{[2] [3] [4]} and Roman Catholic^[5] Churches, with his feast day on July 6.

Modern scholars, however, question his existence and reject the story of his conversion.^[6]

Roman Prefect and Persecutor

He was appointed by the Emperor Maximian, and severely persecuted Christians. He is mentioned in Christian martyrologies with his name occurring in the stories of:

• Valerius and Rufinus (287)

• Saint Quentin (287)

• Crispin and Crispinian (286)^[7]

• Gentian, Fulcian and Victorice (287 or 303).^[8]

• Donatian and Rogatian (c. 288–290).^[9]

• Martyrs Maxentius, Constantius, Crescentius, Justinus and their Companions, martyrs in Trier in Germany in the reign of Diocletian, under the governor Rictiovarus (c. 287)^[10]

• Palmatius and Companions, martyrs in Trier in Germany under Maximian (c. 287)^[11]

• Alexander of Trier, "the 12th bishop of Trier, was martyred by the Roman prefect Rictiovarus during the Diocletian persecution" (3rd century)^[12]

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, he tried to kill himself in despair after failing to kill Crispin and Crispinian.

Christian Martyr

In Christian hagiography he repented and became a Christian martyr himself. The Roman Martyrology has his feast day on July 6, and states:

The same day, St. Lucia, martyr, a native of Campania. Being arrested and severely tortured by the lieutenant-governor Rictiovarus, she converted him to Christ. To them were added Antoninus, Severinus, Diodorus, Dion, and seventeen others, who shared their sufferings and their crowns.^[13]

Rexius also appears on July 6 in the calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Church, being martyred by beheading together with Virgin-martyr Lucy and several other martyrs, due to their courageous witness for Christ:^{[2] [3] [4]}

In German Legend

A very different fate is attributed to "Rixius Varus" by the peasantry of the German Saarland. According to the art-historian and mythographer Karl Lohmeyer, it was believed that after his death the persecutor could not rest in his tomb, and haunts the Varuswald forest near the town of Tholey as a Wild Huntsman, flying through the air with a ghostly band and threatening punishment to transgressors.^[14]

References

1. Katherine I. Rabenstein. "July 6 - Rixius Varus (Rictiovarus)." St. Patrick Catholic Church - Saint of the Day, 1998.
2. Great Synaxaristes : Οἱ Ἅγιοι Λουκία ἡ Παρθενομάρτυς καὶ Ρῆξος Βικάριος οἱ Μάρτυρες ποὺ μαρτύρησαν στὴν Κομπανία. 6 Ιουλίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
3. Martyr Lucy at Rome. OCA - Feasts and Saints.
4. July 6/19 . Orthodox Calendar (Pravoslavie.ru).
5. 6 July. Saints.SQPN.com. Retrieved: September 26, 2012.
6. Book: Arnold Hugh Martin Jones. John Robert Martindale. J. Morris. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: V. 1 A.D. 260-395. I.. 1971. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-07233-5. 766. "He is most probably a fictitious character since there was no persecution of Christians in N. Gaul; this area was subject to the Caesar Constantius."
7. Meier, Gabriel. "Sts. Crispin and Crispinian." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. (New Advent). Retrieved: 26 Sept. 2012.
8. The Golden Legend. The Lives of the Saints Gentian, Fulcian and Victorice . Compiled by Jacobus de Voragine, Archbishop of Genoa, 1275. First edition published 1470. Englished by William Caxton, first edition 1483 Temple Classics, edited by F. S. Ellis. First issue of this Edition, 1900. Printed in Great Britain by T. and A. Constable Ltd. at the University Press, Edinburgh. Reprinted 1922, 1931.
9. Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). May 24 - SS. Donatian and Rogatian, Martyrs. The Lives of the Saints, Volume V: May. 1866. (Bartleby.com)
10. December 12. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
11. October 5. Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome.
12. Greg Garrison. Word of God Made Visible - Monastery Opening Today The Product of Abbess's Vision. Birmingham News (Alabama). Sunday, December 19, 1999. Pg. 1A, Vol. 112, No. 241.
13. The Roman Martyrology. Transl. by the Archbishop of Baltimore. Last Edition, According to the Copy Printed at Rome in 1914. Revised Edition, with the Imprimatur of His Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. Baltimore: John Murphy Company, 1916. p.197.
14. Karl Lohmeyer. Die Sagen des Saarbrücker und Birkenfelder Landes. Gebrüder-Hofer-Verlagsanstalt, Saarbrücken 1920, p. 88.