Symphorian and Timotheus

Saints Symphorian and Timotheus
The Martyrdom of Saint Symphorian, by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Died	August 22, 178
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Major shrine	Autun
Feast	August 22
Attributes	Symphorian is depicted as a young man being dragged to martyrdom while his mother encourages him.
Patronage	Symphorian is patron of Autun; children; students; against eye problems, against syphilis

Saints Timotheus (Timothy) and Symphorian (Symphorianus, Symphorien) are venerated together as saints by the Catholic Church and share the same feast day (August 22), though the lives of the two saints are not related.

Timotheus

During the pontificate of Melchiades (311-13), St. Timotheus came from Antioch to Rome, where he preached for fifteen months and lived with Sylvester, who later became pope. The prefect of the city, Tarquinus Perpenna, threw him into prison, tortured, and finally beheaded him in 311. A Christian woman named Theon buried him in her garden. This is related in the legend of Sylvester. The name of Timotheus occurs in the earliest martyrologies.

Symphorian

According to a legend of the early fifth century, St. Symphorian of Autun was beheaded, while still a young man, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. He was the son of a senator named Faustus. He studied at Autun and was brought before the provincial governor Heraclius for not worshipping the pagan goddess Cybele. Symphorian is said to have asked for tools to destroy the statue. He was arrested and flogged and because he was from a noble family, he was given a chance to recant. Symphorian was offered bribes to do so, but he declined.

His mother, the Blessed Augusta (?), encourged him on his way to execution, 22 August, 178, and was present at her son's death.

According to a legendary passio of Saint Benignus of Dijon, Symphorian was a young nobleman who was converted by Benignus at Autun.

Veneration for Saint Symphorian

Bishop Euphronius (d. 490) built a handsome church over his grave, connected with a monastery, which belonged to the Congregation of Sainte-Geneviève from 1656 until its suppression in 1791. Abbot Germanus later became Bishop of Paris, where he dedicated a chapel to the saint. Genesius of Clermont built a church dedicated to him at Clermont.

St. Symphorian is the patron saint of Autun. His veneration spread at an early date through the empire of the Franks. His cult was especially popular at Tours; St. Gregory of Tours relates a miracle wrought by the saint.

There is a St. Symphorian's at Veryan, Cornwall and another at Durrington, West Sussex.

External links

• Symphorian and Timotheus at the Catholic Encyclopedia
• Patron Saints Index: Symphorian
• Symphorian of Autun

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

See also

• Saint-Symphorien, places in France named after Symphorian