Alphius (martyr)

Infobox Saint
name= Saint Alphius
birth_date=
death_date=~251 AD
feast_day= 10 May
venerated_in= Roman Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church


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attributes= Alphius, Philadelphus, Cyrinus are depicted as three young men
patronage=Lentini; Trecastagni
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Saint Alphius ( _it. Sant'Alfio) and companions, martyrs in the Byzantine traditions of southern Italy, was one of three brothers from Vaste, in the diocese of Otranto, who died with their sister, Benedicta, during the persecution of Decius, ca 251 AD. The details concerning these martyrdoms are traditional, drawn up at a later date in the Benedictine "Acta" of Saint Alphius.

According to the "Acta", Alphius, Philadelphus, Cyrinus, ranging in age from nineteen to twenty-one,and their sister Benedicta were arrested with other Christians during the persecutions under Decius. They were taken to Pozzuoli, near Naples, where one of the Christians, Onesimus, was executed. The brothers were taken on to Sicily, where they were martyred at Lentini; there they are among the patron saints. Alphius had his tongue torn from his mouth. Philadelphus was burned to death and Cyrinus was boiled alive. No details of her execution are given for Benedicta. His feast day is 10 May.

References

*F. Halkin, 1987. "Six inédits d'hagiologie Byzantine". ( [http://www.kbr.be/~socboll/SubsHag/subsIss.html "Subsidia hagiographica] ")
* [http://catholiconline.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1279 Catholic on-line: Saint Alphius]
*it icon [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90308 Sant’Alfio]
*it icon [http://www.centamore.it/TreSanti/La_Festa_Testo.asp SS. Alfio - Filadelfo e Cirino: L'attesa è già festa]