Description

Oil Dedicated to St Servatius 2 (Patron Invoked against Lameness)

St Servatius 2 (Patron Invoked against Lameness) from A Blessed Call To Love, Ireland.

Saint Servatius Healing Oil (Dutch: Sint Servaas; French: Saint Servais; Limburgish: Sintervaos; Armenian: Սուրբ Սերվատիոս). Born in Armenia, died in Maastricht, traditionally on 13 May 384 bishop of Tongeren Latin. Atuatuca Tungrorum, the capital of the Tungri. Servatius patron saint of the city of Maastricht and the towns of Schijndel and Grimbergen. He is one of the Ice Saints. His feast day May 13.

A widely travelled diplomat and a determined opponent of Arianism. The presence of Servatius recorded at several synods and church councils. In 343, Sarbatios – Greek texts rendering v as b – present at the Council of Sardica (modern Sofia). In the debates, Servatius represented the Trinitarian view, which clashed with the Arian view of most Eastern bishops. According to Sulpicius Severus, Servatius again eloquently denounced Arianism at the Council of Rimini in 359.

According to a medieval legend, Servatius took part a Council of Cologne in 346, testifying that Euphrates, bishop of Cologne, “denied the divinity of Jesus Christ, this even happened in the presence of Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria”. Euphrates historically known as an opponent of Arianism and alongside Athanasius and Servatius took part in the Council of Sardica.

After co-emperor Constans assassinated in 350, Servatius was sent to the Roman emperor Constantius II in Edessa, the capital of Armenian Mesopotamia, as an envoy of the usurper Magnentius to represent the late Constans as an unworthy tyrant and oppressor, in the hope of obtaining Constantius’s recognition of Magnentius as co-ruler.

The mission failed and the resulting civil war ended with the death of Magnentius in 353. The mission as a sign of the high standing of Servatius.