Epipodius and Alexander
Encyclopedia
Epipodius and his companion Alexander (d. 178 AD) are venerated as Christian
saint
s. Their feast day
is 22 April. Epipodius was a native of Lyon
; Alexander was said to be a native of Phrygia
, and a physician by profession. They were both martyred during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
Epipodius and Alexander are said to have been close friends since childhood. Epipodius is said to have been a confirmed celibate bachelor, though he never joined a religious order
. He devoted his time to Christian works and was betrayed to imperial authorities by a servant. Both men were subsequently imprisoned, tortured, and condemned to be devoured by wild beasts in the amphitheatre, and died (as one history writes) "neither uttering a groan nor a syllable, but conversing in [their] heart with God."
under the altar
of the Cathedral St-Jean in Lyon. Miracles were reported at this tomb.
Epipodius is venerated as the patron saint
of bachelors, victims of betrayal and of torture.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s. Their feast day
Calendar of saints
The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the feast day of said saint...
is 22 April. Epipodius was a native of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
; Alexander was said to be a native of Phrygia
Phrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Phrygians initially lived in the southern Balkans; according to Herodotus, under the name of Bryges , changing it to Phruges after their final migration to Anatolia, via the...
, and a physician by profession. They were both martyred during the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
Epipodius and Alexander are said to have been close friends since childhood. Epipodius is said to have been a confirmed celibate bachelor, though he never joined a religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
. He devoted his time to Christian works and was betrayed to imperial authorities by a servant. Both men were subsequently imprisoned, tortured, and condemned to be devoured by wild beasts in the amphitheatre, and died (as one history writes) "neither uttering a groan nor a syllable, but conversing in [their] heart with God."
Veneration
In the 6th century, their relics were placed together with those of St. IrenaeusIrenaeus
Saint Irenaeus , was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire . He was an early church father and apologist, and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology...
under the altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
of the Cathedral St-Jean in Lyon. Miracles were reported at this tomb.
Epipodius is venerated as the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of bachelors, victims of betrayal and of torture.