Euplius of Catania

Saint Euplius
Saint Euplius Fresco from Saint Nicholas Church in Melnik, Bulgaria, 12th - 13th Century
Died ~AD 304
Catania
Venerated in

Eastern Orthodox Church

Roman Catholic Church
Major shrine Trevico
Feast August 12
Patronage Catania; Trevico; Francavilla di Sicilia

Saint Euplius (Euplus) (Italian: Sant' Euplo, Sant' Euplio, Greek: ἅγιος Εὖπλος) (d. ca. AD 304) is venerated as a martyr and saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. With Saint Agatha, he is a co-patron of Catania in Sicily.

Biography

His name in Greek means "good sailing" which is played upon in the text of the Orthodox Christian Vespers service in his honor.

The Passion of Saint Euplius states that he was a deacon and that he was arrested for owning and reading from a copy of the Bible during the Diocletian persecution. He was brought before the governor of the city, Calvinianus (Calvinian), who asked the saint to read him extracts from the book. He was then tortured and beheaded.

Veneration

He is also the patron saint of Francavilla di Sicilia and Trevico. Ruins of the old church of Saint Euplius are located in Catania near Piazza Stesicoro. This urban site coincides with the place of his martyrdom. His feast day is August 12.



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