St Benignus - 3rd Century Roman Martyr

When the Holy Name was built in 1871, in the south transept of the church were placed two large niches. The designs that we have for the church suggest that one of these was intended to house the relics of a saint, but the scheme was never carried out. Happily the relics of a Roman martyr from the 3rd century, who has been given the name St Benignus, will soon be placed there.

The relics of this saint were given to the Holy Name by the Augustinian Canonesses a few years ago. Since then much work has been going on to prepare them for public veneration. A new oak and glass case has been made in which the skeleton of the saint has been laid out anatomically on red silk. A small section of his rib was sent to the Archeological Unit at the University of Oxford for RadioCarbon dating. The results from this testing confirmed that he died probably in the middle of the 3rd century, which situates him well in the series of persecutions of the Church at that time. viz:

OxA-19634 R_Date(1788,25)

68.2% probability

171 (9.8%) 193calAD

211 (43.3%) 259calAD

297 (15.1%) 321calAD

95.4% probability

135 (73.4%) 261calAD

280 (22.0%) 326calAD

More recently the skull of St Benignus has been scanned by a medical artist, Caroline Needham, of the University of Dundee, who before taking up her position in Dundee had  been a member of the University of Manchester. She along with Dr Caroline Wilkinson (another old Mancunian) and a post graduate student will prepare a life like bust of the saint. From a detailed examination of the bone structure of the skull they can determine the place of the muscles and other parts which make up the face, and so are able to make a reconstruction of his head (previously they have worked on the relics of the ‘Reformation’ martyrs under the high altar of Leeds cathedral). The bust of St Benignus will be displayed, along with documents relating to the history of his relics, in the second niche in the south transept.

The next stage is for the bishop, or his represetative, to seal the relics into their new oaken case. His seal will be attached and an authenticating document signed, which will be displayed alongside the seals and signatures of previous bishops charged with this duty (the Archbishop of Paris in 1778 and the Bishop of Versailles in 1874) who enshrined these relics each time they have been rehoused, to allow them to be publically venerated by the faithful.

It is wonderous to contemplate that here in Manchester, where was settled the outpost of the great Roman Empire, should be venerated the relics of a young man who died in the centre of that Empire. He died for his profession of the Christian faith, in the Holy Name of Jesus, centred in the eternal city of Rome, which we hold with him as the centre of out faith. May we, through his prayers, be as faithful to the Roman and Catholic Faith, to which we cleave with all our hearts.

St Benignus: Pray for us.