Legend claims that Pancras, the orphaned son of a rich Roman, came to Rome with his uncle Dionys in 303 and became a Christian. He used his inherited fortunes to help persecuted Christians, in particular those who were imprisoned because of their faith. After the death of his uncle, Pancras was arrested on one of Diocleatian’s persecution orders and brought before the emperor. Even in the face of all the temptation, the 14 year old was unwavering in his faith. For this reason, he was publically decapitated and his corpse was fed to the dogs. A Christian woman risked her own life to retrieve him. She buried him in the catacombs under what is now the Church of San Pancrazio on the Via Aurelia. The catacombs were later named after him.
Pancras is one of the ice saints. A
German saying states: “If Pancras, Servatius, and Boniface have not yet passed, then May is not safe from the cold. Frost on the day of St. Pancras ruins much in the garden.”