Heliodorus of Catania is a demi-legendary personage accused by his coevals of being a necromancer

Necromancy

Necromancy is a claimed form of magic that involves communication with the deceased, either by summoning their spirit in the form of an apparition or raising them bodily, for the purpose of divination, imparting the ability to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge...

 addicted to witchcraft

Witchcraft

Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...

.

Son of a noble Sicilian

Sicily

Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...

 family, he at first professed his Christianity

Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

, and he was even a candidate to assume the Episcopal Diocese of Catania. In that period the Etnean City came under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Roman Empire

Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...

 governed by then-Emperor Leo III the Isaurian

Leo III the Isaurian

Leo III the Isaurian or the Syrian , was Byzantine emperor from 717 until his death in 741...

.

Having failed to achieve this religious appointment, conferred on an Archdeacon
from Ravenna

Ravenna

Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...

 (Saint Leo of Catania

Saint Leo of Catania

Saint Leo of Catania, nicknamed the Thaumaturgus was the fifteenth bishop of Catania, famed also for his love and care toward the poor. His feast day occurs on the day of his death in which he is venerated as a Saint both by Catholics and the Orthodox Church. He lived in the lapse of time between...

), he apostatized

Apostasy

Apostasy , 'a defection or revolt', from ἀπό, apo, 'away, apart', στάσις, stasis, 'stand, 'standing') is the formal disaffiliation from or abandonment or renunciation of a religion by a person. One who commits apostasy is known as an apostate. These terms have a pejorative implication in everyday...

 to begin taking an interest in magic

Magic (paranormal)

Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...

. Leo

Saint Leo of Catania

Saint Leo of Catania, nicknamed the Thaumaturgus was the fifteenth bishop of Catania, famed also for his love and care toward the poor. His feast day occurs on the day of his death in which he is venerated as a Saint both by Catholics and the Orthodox Church. He lived in the lapse of time between...

 later became a "Saint", a "Miracles' Operator", and the "Fifteenth Bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of Catania".

Besides the accusation of necromancy, Heliodorus was pointed to as an "idolmaker" and "a Disciple of Jews

Jews

The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...

". He remained a vocal opponent of Saint Leo the Thaumaturgus

Saint Leo of Catania

Saint Leo of Catania, nicknamed the Thaumaturgus was the fifteenth bishop of Catania, famed also for his love and care toward the poor. His feast day occurs on the day of his death in which he is venerated as a Saint both by Catholics and the Orthodox Church. He lived in the lapse of time between...

 (="The Wonderworker"), Bishop from 765 to 785 AD.

Portrayals

• Giuseppe Platania (Palermo 1780-1852) - Saint Leo and the burning Heliodorus (Museum of Castello Ursino - Catania)
• Matteo Desiderato (XVIII-XIX) - Saint Leo overcomes Heliodorus (Mother Church of Santa Maria di Licodìa - Province of Catania)
• Painting with Saint Leo and Heliodorus (Parishional Church of Saint Leo - Saracena - Province of Cosenza)
• Mural artistic creation - Saint Leo, Heliodorus and the pyre & the Unscathed Saint Leo (Parishional Church of Saint Leo - Saracena - Province of Cosenza)