Origin

History: The name is connected with the cult of the goddess Damia, a Greek goddess of fertility which later became Ceres for the Roman Mythology. 1) Saints Cosmas and Damian were twin brothers, physicians, and early Christian martyrs born in Cilicia, part of today's Turkey. They practiced their profession in the seaport of Ayas, Adana, then in the Roman province of Syria. The feast day is usually celebrated on September 26. 2) Saint Damien de Veuster (1840–1889) was a Roman Catholic priest from Belgium and member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a missionary religious institute. The feast day is usually celebrated on April 15.

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