Saint Colluthus
Encyclopedia
Saint Colluthus is an Egypt
ian saint
and martyr
of the 3rd century AD.
According to his Hagiography, Colluthus' father was the governor of the Upper Egypt
ian city of Ansena. His parents were both Christian
s. He lived a celibate, although his sister was married to Arianus, who became Ansena's governor after the departure of Colluthus' father.
Colluthus was a physician who did not charge money for his services. When Emperor
Diocletian
began his persecutions of Christian
s, Arianus apostatized in order to keep his position as a goevrnor. When Colluthus rebuked Arianus for persecuting the Christian
s, Arianus sent him to the governor of Oxyrhynchus
who threw him in prison for three years. Colluthus' sister unsuccessfully mediated for his release. After three years, a different governor of Oxyrhynchus
took Colluthus out of prison, tortured him, and eventually cut his head off on 25 Pashons
.
When the reign of Diocletian
ended, and Christianity
was declared one of the Empire's
official religions by Constantine the Great, a church was built for Saint Colluthus, where his relics were placed.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian 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...
and martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
of the 3rd century AD.
According to his Hagiography, Colluthus' father was the governor of the Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
ian city of Ansena. His parents were both Christian
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...
s. He lived a celibate, although his sister was married to Arianus, who became Ansena's governor after the departure of Colluthus' father.
Colluthus was a physician who did not charge money for his services. When Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
began his persecutions of Christian
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...
s, Arianus apostatized in order to keep his position as a goevrnor. When Colluthus rebuked Arianus for persecuting the Christian
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...
s, Arianus sent him to the governor of Oxyrhynchus
Oxyrhynchus
Oxyrhynchus is a city in Upper Egypt, located about 160 km south-southwest of Cairo, in the governorate of Al Minya. It is also an archaeological site, considered one of the most important ever discovered...
who threw him in prison for three years. Colluthus' sister unsuccessfully mediated for his release. After three years, a different governor of Oxyrhynchus
Oxyrhynchus
Oxyrhynchus is a city in Upper Egypt, located about 160 km south-southwest of Cairo, in the governorate of Al Minya. It is also an archaeological site, considered one of the most important ever discovered...
took Colluthus out of prison, tortured him, and eventually cut his head off on 25 Pashons
Pashons 25 (Coptic Orthodox liturgics)
24 Pashons - Coptic calendar - 26 Pashons-Fixed commemorations:All fixed commemorations below are observed on 25 Pashons by the Coptic Orthodox Church-References:*...
.
When the reign of Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
ended, and 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...
was declared one of the Empire's
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
official religions by Constantine the Great, a church was built for Saint Colluthus, where his relics were placed.