tarcisius

The only information about this third century Roman martyr is a reference to him by Pope Damasus (366–384). One day, young Tarcisius was entrusted with the task of bringing the Eucharist to condemned Catholics in prison. He preferred death at the hands of a mob rather than hand over the Blessed Sacrament. Burial took place in the catacombs of San Callisto, and later, Damasus wrote an inscription.

Left altar boy prayer card

​Right sculpture
Falguière, Tarcisius, 1868, musée d'Orsay

Par meritum, quicumque legis, cognosce duorum,
quis Damasus rector titulos post praemia reddit.
Iudaicus populus Stephanum meliora monentem
perculerat saxis, tulerat qui ex hoste tropaeum,
martyrium primus rapuit levita fidelis.

Tarsicium sanctum Christi sacramenta gerentem
cum male sana manus premeret vulgare profanis,
ipse animam potius voluit dimittere caesus
prodere quam canibus rabidis caelestia membra.

​1. reddit: second line reddit means to submit for consideration.
2. result: Tarcisius is listed in the Roman Martyrology.
​3. source: Damasi Epigrammata, Maximilian Ihm, 1895, n. 14. Maximilian Ihm (1863 - 1909) was a German classical philologist, a person who studies historical and comparative linguistics.