Constantius of Capri


Constantius was a Bishop of the Catholic Church who, after many wandering, became the patron saint of Capri.

Biography

Little is known about him except that his body was placed in a barrel: the homilies Sermo de virtute Constantii and the Sermo de transito s. Constantii date from the end of the 10th century, when the saint's protection was invoked at Capri and Amalfi against Saracen raiders. How he came to be on the island is Capri is undocumented and shrouded in legend. In the Catalogus of monk Filippo Ferrari, Constantius was described to be "of imperial lineage and Bishop of Constantinople". He may have been the Arian Constantius II who destroyed idols, or a bishop who fled from Africa to Italy. The Chiesa di San Costanzo is located between Marina Grande and Anacapri. The feast day of St Costanzo is celebrated on May 14 and includes commemoration of his arrival on Capri, which according to tradition, occurred c. 739.
A reliquary at Montevergine contains a bone with the label "Ossa S. Costantio E.C." .