Church Sant'Ansano - Siena

This church is located on Via san Quirico in Siena and is dedicated to Sant'Ansano.

This patron of Siena was of Roman descent, the son of a noble patrician, Tranquillino. Ansanus was led to baptism by his godmother Maximus. When Diocletian's persecution broke out, Maxim and Ansanus were captured. The godmother died under the caning of the lictors, while Ansanus managed to escape and marched north along the Via Cassia until he reached Siena. Here he preached the gospel and baptized the first Christians. This earned him the title of "Baptist of the Sienesen": the cathedral was to be built on his tomb and Duccio di Buoninsegna himself portrayed him in his famous "Majesty". But persecution followed Ansano to Siena as well. Pursued and overtaken by the proconsul Lysias, he was captured and tortured. The long story that led to his martyrdom after his capture tells of severe and painful bullying that did not make him renounce his faith. So he was sentenced to be burned at the stake. However, Ansanus was miraculously saved from the flames, which died out as soon as he was thrown onto the fire. Finally he was beheaded by the sword outside the city, on the bank of the Arbia River.

Willem Vandenameele