- Aphian
Infobox Saint
name=Saint Aphian
birth_date=ca. 287
death_date=ca. 305
feast_day=April 2
venerated_in=Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church
imagesize=150px
caption=Martyr
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prayer_attrib=Saint Aphian (Apphian, Apian, Appian, Amphianus, Amphian; es icon and it icon Amfiano) is venerated as a
martyr by theCatholic Church and by theEastern Orthodox Church . He is said to have died during the persecutions of the Emperor Galerius, onApril 2 , ca. 305.In the Eastern Orthodox calendar, his feast thus falls on
April 2 , along with Edesius (Aedisius), who is sometimes called his brother.He was from
Lycia , and his wealthy and distinguished parents gave him the best education possible inrhetoric ,law , andphilosophy in the famous schools ofBerytus ,Phoenicia . While he was away at school, he became a Christian. Aphian withdrew toCappadocia because his parents resisted his efforts to convert them toChristianity .St. Pamphilus was atCaesarea Maritima at the time of Aphian's martydom, expoundingHoly Scripture , and the young Aphian was one of his disciples. He lived at the house ofEusebius of Caesarea , but gave no intimation of his purpose to make the public protest which ended in his martyrdom.According to his legend, he was only eighteen when he entered the temple at
Caesarea Maritima , where theprefect Urbanus was offeringsacrifice . Seizing the outstretched hand that was presenting theincense , he reproached themagistrate with the idolatrous act. The guards fell upon him furiously and, after cruelly torturing him, flung him into adungeon .The next day he was brought before the Prefect, torn with iron
claws , beaten with clubs, and burned over a slow fire, and then sent back to confinement.After three days he was again taken from prison and thrown into the sea with stones tied to his feet. Eusebius, an eyewitness, declares that an
earthquake simultaneously shook the city, and that the sea flung up his corpse on the shore.In the old
martyrologies his feast was on the fifth, but theBollandists pronounce for the second of April as the correct date.References
External links
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01593b.htm Aphian] at the
Catholic Encyclopedia
* [http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0402.htm#aphi Saints of April 2: Amphianus]
*es icon [http://www.legionhermosillo.com.mx/San_Amfiano_de_Cesarea.html San Amfiano]
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