St.Abercius Marcellus
Posted on October 22, 2018 by admin No comments
Venerated: in Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church
Died: c.200 of natural causes
Venerated: by the Greek Church since the 10th century
Feast: October 22/November 4
Attributes: Vested as a bishop
Abercius of Hieropolis (Greek Αβέρκιος, died c. 167) was a bishop of Hierapolis (modern Castabala) at the time of Marcus Aurelius, also known as Abercius Marcellus. He was supposedly the successor to Papias.
Abercius is said to have evangelized Syria and Mesopotamia, and is on that basis referred to as one of the Equals-to-the-Apostles. He was imprisoned under Marcus Aurelius, and died about 167.
Abercius’ feast day is celebrated on October 22 (for those churches which follow the Julian Calendar, October 22 occurs on the Gregorian Calendar date of November 4).
Several works are ascribed to Abercius:
- An Epistle to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, of which Baronius speaks as extant, but he does not produce it
- A Book of Discipline (Greek Βίβλος διδασκαλίας) addressed to his clergy; this too is lost.
Abercius is also the subject, and probable author, of the Inscription of Abercius, preserved in the Vatican Museum. In 1881 Scottish classical scientist William Ramsey, established that in Phrygia in ancient times there were two cities, called the Hieropolis. One of them, modern Pamukkale, was further to the northeast, near the modern village of Kochhisar (this region in ancient times was called Pentapolis – ‘five cities,’ one of which was Hieropolis). This Ramsey discovered the remnants of an ancient tomb that is said to be made by Abercius before his death with inscriptions on it. The fragment of this tomb can be found at the Vatican museum.
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