Sts. Cosmas and Damian

Biography of Sts. Cosmas and Damian

“Saints Cosmas and Damian were brothers and Christian martyrs. They were born in the 3rd century in Arabia and were known for their medical skills. According to tradition, they were twin brothers and practiced medicine in the city of Aegea without accepting payment for their services.

They were arrested and brought before the governor Lysias during the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. They refused to make sacrifices to the Roman gods and were tortured for their faith. They were finally executed by beheading, becoming martyrs for their belief in Jesus Christ.

Their cult spread rapidly in the Christian world, and many churches and monasteries were dedicated to them. They were celebrated in the Eastern Church from an early date and became one of the most popular saints in the Middle Ages. They were venerated as protectors against plagues and as patrons of doctors, pharmacists and surgeons.

One of the most ancient account of their life and martyrdom, is found in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum, from the end of the IV century, which says that they were martyrs in the town of Cyrrhus, in Syria, under the prefect Lysias.

Many legends and miracles were attributed to the saints. The most famous story is that they miraculously grafted the leg of a deceased Ethiopian onto the body of a patient who had lost his leg. This story is often depicted in art, and the saints are usually shown as surgeons, holding surgical instruments.

One of their most well-known patronage is in medicine, they were consider protectors of doctors, pharmacists and surgeons. Also, they were seen as protectors against plagues and natural disasters, this is the reason why many churches and monasteries were dedicated to them.

They are the patron saints of Bari, a city in southern Italy where their relics were kept in a famous basilica that still bears their name. Cosmas and Damian are also the patron saints of various other towns and cities in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and the Philippines. Their Feast day is celebrated on September 26th in the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

In art, they are usually represented as twin brothers, both of them usually depicted as young men, often with medical instruments or a medicinal pot, sometimes with a depiction of the miracle of the grafting of the leg.

The Life of Sts. Cosmas & Damian

Saints Cosmas and Damian were brothers, born in Arabia. They became renowned as physicians in Syria, refusing to accept any remuneration for their services. Being devout Christians they healed not only the bodies of men, but also their souls. Their apostolic work soon reached the ears of Lysias, Governor of Cilicia, who ordered them brought before him to question them regarding their profession of faith and their manner of life. 

When they declared they were Christians and that the Christian Faith is necessary to salvation, they were subjected to various tortures and finally beheaded. This occurred during the persecution of Diocletian, about the year 303. Their bodies were later transported to Cyr, in Syria. In the 5th century, Bishop Theodoret of that city mentions that the relics of these Saints were placed there in a church which bears their names. The relics were later brought to Rome, where Pope St. Felix erected a church in their honor. Saints Cosmas and Damian have always been greatly venerated in the East and in the West. “

Popular Saints Cosmas and Damian Medal and Saints Cosmas and Damian Rosary

Prayer to Sts. Cosmas and Damian

 Saints Cosmas and Damian,
we honor and venerate you
with all the humility and interior affection of our hearts.

We invoke you, glorious martyrs of Jesus Christ,
who during life exercised the art of healing
with admirable charity and sacrifice,
curing the incurable
and ministering to dangerous illnesses,
not so much with the aid of medicine and skill,
but by the invocation of the all powerful Name of Jesus Christ.

Now that you are even more powerful in heaven,
graciously bestow your merciful glance upon us miserable and afflicted souls;
and at the sight of the many ills which oppress us,
the many spiritual and corporal diseases that surround us,
hasten your help.

Assist us, we pray, in every distress.

We do not ask for ourselves only,
but for all our relatives, families, friends, and enemies,
so that, restored to health of soul and body,
we can give glory to God,
and honor to you, our saintly protectors.

Amen.

Prayer to Sts. Cosmas & Damian

Oh, glorious Sts. Cosmas & Damian,
you were physicians who healed the sick
not only of their bodily ailments
but also of their spiritual sickness.

Through your miracles, you brought many
to a deeper faith in Jesus Christ.
I ask you to intercede for me
in my own time of need.

(mention your request)

Help me to imitate your selfless love
and to always seek the good of others.
May I follow your example
and always put my trust in God.

Sts. Cosmas & Damian, pray for me.
Amen.

Prayer for Healing Through the Intercession of Sts. Cosmas & Damian

Sts. Cosmas & Damian,
healers of the sick and patrons of medicine,
I turn to you in my time of need.

(mention your request)

Through your intercession,
may I experience the healing touch of Jesus,
both in body and in spirit.
May I have the grace to trust in God
and to always seek His will in my life.

Sts. Cosmas & Damian, pray for me.
Amen.

Sts. Cosmas & Damian: Patron Saints of Physicians and Surgeons

Sts. Cosmas and Damian, also known as the “”Anargyroi”” meaning “”without silver””, are revered as the patron saints of physicians and surgeons. They are known for their exceptional medical skills and their refusal to accept payment for their services, hence the name “”without silver””.

Cosmas and Damian were twin brothers and early Christian martyrs who lived in the third century AD in the eastern Mediterranean. They were born in Arabia and later moved to the Roman province of Syria where they practiced medicine. According to tradition, they were skilled in the use of herbal medicines, surgery, and other medical practices.

Their devotion to the sick and their refusal to accept payment for their services made them highly respected and loved among the local people. They were known for their miracles and healings, which they performed through the power of God.

The two saints were eventually martyred for their faith, but their legacy lived on. They became popular throughout the Christian world, especially among physicians and surgeons who sought their intercession for their patients.

In the Middle Ages, the cult of Cosmas and Damian spread throughout Europe, and many hospitals and clinics were named after them. They are also depicted in paintings and sculptures in churches, often holding surgical instruments as a symbol of their patronages.

Today, Sts. Cosmas and Damian continue to be invoked by medical professionals as well as patients seeking their intercession for health and healing. They are a reminder of the importance of compassion, generosity, and selflessness in the practice of medicine.

Reflection on the feast day of Sts. Cosmas & Damian

The feast day of Sts. Cosmas & Damian is celebrated on September 26th.

As we celebrate the feast day of Sts. Cosmas & Damian, we are reminded of their unwavering commitment to their faith and their devotion to God. Sts. Cosmas & Damian are powerful examples of what it means to be brothers in faith and to serve others with compassion and selflessness.

Sts. Cosmas & Damian were twin brothers and Christian martyrs who lived in the third century. They were renowned for their medical skills, and they used their talents to help the poor and the sick, refusing to accept any payment for their services. They were known for their great compassion and selflessness, and they are considered the patron saints of physicians and surgeons.

Despite their generosity and good deeds, Sts. Cosmas & Damian were persecuted for their faith by the Roman authorities. They were arrested, tortured, and ultimately martyred for their beliefs.

Through their sacrifice, Sts. Cosmas & Damian remind us of the importance of selflessness and service to others. Their example teaches us that true faith is not just about what we believe, but about how we live our lives and how we serve others. As we reflect on the lives of Sts. Cosmas & Damian, let us ask for their intercession and guidance as we strive to be brothers in faith and to serve others with compassion and selflessness.

Discover biographies, prayers, and reflections for more than 400 Catholic Saints“