{{short description|Italian saint and martyr}} {{For|other saints named Proculus|Saint Proculus (disambiguation)}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox saint | honorific_prefix = Saint |name= Proculus of Bologna |birth_date= |death_date=304 AD |feast_day= |venerated_in= Roman Catholic Church |image= Autori vari, arca di san domenico, protettori di bologna, 02 procolo di michelangelo, 1494.jpg |imagesize= 250px |caption= The Basilica of San Domenico, in Bologna, contains a statue of Saint Proculus by Michelangelo.<ref>[https://www.michelangelo.org/st-proculus.jsp "St Proculus", Michelangelo.org]</ref> |birth_place= |death_place= |titles= |beatified_date= |beatified_place= |beatified_by= |canonized_date= |canonized_place= |canonized_by= |attributes= |patronage= |major_shrine= |suppressed_date= |issues= }} '''Saint Proculus of Bologna''' or '''Saint Proculus the Soldier''' (died c. 304 AD) is an Italian saint. He is said to have been a Roman officer who was martyred at Bologna under Diocletian.<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02639b.htm Benigni, Umberto. "Bologna." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 8 Apr. 2013]</ref>
==Traditional Narrative== Saint Proculus is a patron of Bologna. There are two distinct legends.
Proculus (sometimes called ''Proculus Soldato'') was a soldier, active in spreading Christianity. In the time of the Diocletian, one Marinus was sent to Bologna to enforce the emperor's edict. Enraged at his cruelties, Proculus went to his house and killed Marinus with an axe.<ref name=Menzies>[https://books.google.com/books?id=NyiD9VhxfwEC&pg=PA370&dq=Proculus+of+Verona&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjy4aWls-uIAxWuEmIAHXf-IesQ6AF6BAgEEAI#v=onepage&q=Proculus%20of%20Verona&f=false Menzies, Lucy. ''The Saints in Italy: A Book of Reference to the Saints in Italian Art and Dedication'', Medici Society Limited, 1924, p, 369]</ref> He was himself subsequently beheaded, and the martyr carried his head to the location where a church would later be dedicated to him.<ref name=duomo>[https://www.duomomilano.it/en/spire/st-proculus/ "St. Proculus", Duomo di Milano]</ref>
The second account concerns a bishop of Terni, who, attempting to flee persecution from the Goths, came to Bologna where he was subsequently decapitated.<ref name=Menzies/><ref name=duomo/>
The Bolognese have held Proculus in veneration from very ancient times. His remains are preserved in the church of San Procolo in Bologna.
He is depicted in a statue on the spire of the south transept of the Duomo di Milan.<ref name=duomo/>
==See also== * Saints Vitalis and Agricola
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Commons category|Saint Proculus of Bologna}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Proculus Of Bologna}} Category:3rd-century births Category:304 deaths Category:Military personnel from Bologna Category:Italian saints Category:4th-century Christian martyrs Category:4th-century Romans
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