When you are out-and-about on a London Walk with me or one of my colleagues today, keep in mind the Four Crowned Martyrs – the 8th of November is their feast day.
Possibly brothers, Severus, Severian, Carpophorus, and Victorinus were 3rd Century Hungarian sculptors who refused to carve an image of a pagan god for the emperor Diocletian. As is often the case with Diocletian, their execution was both brutal and outlandish. Imprisoned in lead caskets, they were thrown out to sea.
Spare them a thought today on a London Walks tour when you are looking at stonework or sculpture - Severus, Severian, Carpophorus, and Victorinus, known as The Four Crowned Martyrs, are the patron saints of sculptors and stonemasons.
The Scourging Of The Four Crowned Martyrs by Niccolo di Pietro Gerini
A London Walk costs £10 – £8 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.
