Faustus

Faustus: see Faust.

Socinus, Faustus or Fausto Sozzini, 1539-1604, Italian religious reformer, founder of Socinianism. Socinus left the Roman Catholic Church when, influenced by the writings of his uncle, Laelius Socinus, he came to deny the Trinity and other traditional doctrines. Faustus left Italy for Basel in 1575, and in 1579 he went to Poland, where he spent the remainder of his life. In Poland he gradually organized the anti-Trinitarian groups into the sect of Polish Brethren and thereby founded the movement known as Socinianism.

Legendary German necromancer or astrologer who sold his soul to the devil for knowledge and power. There was a historical Faust (perhaps two; both died circa 1540), who traveled widely performing magic, referred to the devil as his crony, and had a wide reputation for evil. The Faustbuch (1587), a collection of tales purportedly by Faust, told of such reputed wizards as Merlin and Albertus Magnus. It was widely translated; an English version inspired Christopher Marlowe's Tragicall History of D. Faustus (1604), which emphasized Faust's eternal damnation. Magic manuals bearing Faust's name did a brisk business; the classic Magia naturalis et innaturalis was known to Johann W. von Goethe, who, like Gotthold Lessing, saw Faust's pursuit of knowledge as noble; in Goethe's great Faust the hero is redeemed. Inspired by Goethe, many artists took up the story, including Hector Berlioz (in the dramatic cantata The Damnation of Faust) and Charles Gounod (in the opera Faust).

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Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius of Alexandria (died 250) were Christian martyrs put to death under Decius in 250.

Faustus was a priest, Abibus was a deacon, and Dionysius was a lector. They were executed with several others, who include:

• Andronicus, a solder
• Andropelagia,
• Cyriacus, an acolyte
• another Cyriacus,
• Theocistus, a sea captain
• Macarius,
• Andreas,
• Sarpambo,
• Thecla, and
• Caldote.

The Roman Martyrology lists only Faustus and Macarius with 10 companions. Their feast day is celebrated on September 6.

References

• Holweck, F. G. A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints. St. Louis, MO: B. Herder Book Co. 1924.