Biography
Crescentius of Rome
About Crescentius of Rome
Crescentius is remembered as a martyr at Rome. Medieval itineraries named a martyr of that name in the Priscilla catacomb, where graffiti also attest veneration.
The received story portrays him as a child executed during Diocletian’s persecution. His age and the detailed trial scene belong to that narrative.
The only known biographical account was composed in the Middle Ages, probably around the transfer of relics to Siena in 1058.
The Passion contains anachronisms about that transfer. His established memory as a Roman martyr should be distinguished from the later reconstruction of his childhood and family.
Wondering how to weigh the stories and sources? Learn how to read a saint biography.