The Origins and Development of the Cults of Saint Gordius and Saint Mamas in Cappadocia

This paper focuses on the cult and legends surrounding two local martyrs of Cappadocian Caesarea: Gordius and Mamas. It investigates how the hagiographical discourse about these local saints was connected with the development of their cults. The earliest mentions of both saints are found in two homilies written by Basil of Caesarea, bishop of the Cappadocian metropolis between 370 and 379, when Christianity in the region was still scattered and fragmented. The bishops sought to unify their congregations, through the promotion of the cult of martyrs, whether local or imported, and by the creation of charitable institutions. The early attestations of the legends of Mamas and Gordius are linked to the establishment of their cults. Very little was known about their lives and deaths, but the stories surrounding their sufferings became more numerous and elaborate over time, and the martyrs became heroic figures of hagiographical legends.