St. Justus of Beauvais is an example of what historians refer to as one of the “Cephalophore†saints (i.e., “head-carriersâ€). He was born in France and a Christian during the Roman Empire’s pagan days. During the persecutions of Christians under the Emperor Diocletian, Justus, along with his father, traveled to another village in order to ransom a relative. As a boy of about ten, Justus was reported to the Roman authorities (he had been accused of being a Christian magician). Soldiers immediately confronted him and when the child freely admitted he was indeed a Christian, he was beheaded on the spot. Legend had it that Justus quietly picked up his head and stood upright. Either the Roman soldiers took flight in fear or else they immediately converted. Justus apparently told his father to take the head back to his mother in order that she may kiss it. Yes, it all sounds rather creepy, but such legends spread like wildfire in the precarious Dark Ages of early medieval Europe and cults grew up around these saints. In fact, naming children after venerated saints became a common practice in Europe during the Middle Ages and you can thank many saints for having single-handedly played a role in the survival of their names into modern times.
