 St. Onesimus
Name: St. Onesimus
Date: 16 February
Onesimus was a Phrygian by birth and a slave to Philemon, a person of influence who had beenconverted to the faith by Saint Paul. Having offended his master and been obliged to flee, hesought out Saint Paul, then a prisoner for the faith at Rome. The Apostle baptized him and senthim back to his master, with the beautiful letter we know as the Epistle to Philemon, asking forthe liberty of Onesimus, that he might become one of his own assistants. Philemon pardoned him and set him at liberty, and Onesimus returned to his spiritual father, asSaint Paul had requested; thereafter he faithfully served the Apostle. We know that Saint Paulmade him, with Tychicus, the bearer of his Epistle to the Colossians. (Col. 4:7-9) Later, as Saint Jerome and other Fathers testify, he became an ardent preacher of the Gospel anda bishop. It is he who succeeded Saint Timothy as bishop of Ephesus. He was cruelly tortured inRome, for eighteen days, by a governor of that city, infuriated by his preaching on the merit ofcelibacy. His legs and thighs were broken with bludgeons, and he was then stoned to death. Hismartyrdom occurred under Domitian in the year 95. |
