Marcellus, Sebastian and Fabian

In this miniature, Marcellus is depicted on the left. After the Diocletian persecution, Marcellus brought order back to the Church after he was elected pope in 308 A.D. by rebuilding the churches that were destroyed. His feast day is on January 16. The two saints next to him - Sebastian of Rome in the middle and Pope Fabian on the right – are portrayed together on more than one occasion as they share their feast day (January 20). Saint Sebastian was an officer serving in the army under Diocletian when he converted to Christianity, for which he was tied to a pole and pierced with arrows. He barely survived his ordeal and he recovered from his wounds due to the care he received from Saint Irene. Unfortunately, following his recovery he was killed after all and dumped in the sewers of Rome.