Site logo

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Name

Eleutherius, martyr of Rome, and his mother Antia

Saint ID

S01661

Number in BH

BHL 2450-2452, BHG 568-570d

Reported Death Not Before

117

Reported Death Not After

138

Gender
Male
Female
Type of Saint
Martyrs, Bishops , Mothers and fathers
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E01316The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, in its account of *Gelasius (bishop of Rome, ob. 496, S00789), recounts his burning of heretical books before the doors of the basilica of *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) in Rome; his dedication of a basilica of *Euphemia (martyr of Chalcedon, S00017) in Tibur/Tivoli, and basilicas of *Eleutherius (martyr of Rome, S01661), *Nicander (saint of Rome, S00788), and *Andreas (probably Andrew the Apostle, S00288) on the via Labicana, outside Rome; his building of a basilica of *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) on the via Laurentina; and his burial in the basilica of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036) on 21 November [AD 496]. A later interpolation records the discovery of the sanctuary of the Archangel *Michael (S00181) on Monte Gargano (southern Italy).
E03220The Latin Martyrdom of *Eleutherius and his mother Antia (martyrs of Rome, S01661) narrates Eleutherius’ early life and youthful consecration as bishop; his miracles and the conversions he effects; his arrest, the tortures he endured, and his martyrdom in Rome, together with his mother. One version narrates that after their death their bodies are buried just outside the civitas Reatina (Rieti, central Italy) and a church is built on the site, where miracles happen. Another version tells of the translation of his relics from Rome to the city of Aecae in Apulia (modern Troia, southern Italy), where Eleutherius was bishop. Written in an uncertain place, by the late 8th c. at the latest.
E03464The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 17 December *Eleutherios (martyr in Rome, S01661).
E03959The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 15 December the dedication of the church of *John the Baptist (S00020), *Eleutherios (martyr of Rome, S01661), the *Three Hebrew Youths (of the Old Testament Book of Daniel, S01198), and bishop 'Nisthereon' (unidentified figure, name probably garbled).
E04580Gregory the Great, in his Dialogues (4.13), describes a deathbed vision, experienced by Probus, the bishop of Rieti (central Italy) of *Iuvenalis (bishop and martyr or confessor of Narni, S00815) and *Eleutherius (martyr of Rome, S01661). Written in Latin in Rome, c. 593.
E04943The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 6 September.
E05030The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 24 November.
E06761The Greek Martyrdom of *Eleutherios and his mother Antia (martyrs of Rome, S01661). Skeleton entry
E06910Pope Gelasius I, in a letter of 492/496, mentions a church dedicated to the martyr *Eleutherius (martyr of Rome, S01661) in Histonium (modern Vasto, central Italy). Written in Latin in Rome.