Antiochus of Sulcis

Saint Antiochus
Procession of Saint Antiochus in Sant'Antioco
Martyr
Born	1st century Mauretania or Sebastea, Cappadocia
Died	c. 127 AD Sulcis, Roman Sardinia
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church
Major shrine	Basilica di Sant'Antioco
Feast	December 13 (Catholicism) July 16 (Orthodoxy)
Attributes	Palm of martyrdom
Patronage	Sant'Antioco, Sardinia

Saint Antiochus of Sulcis (died c. 127 AD) was an early Christian martyr of Sardinia. The island and town of Sant'Antioco are named after him. He is a figure associated with the Sardinian mines from which the Romans extracted minerals and precious metals; the Romans condemned prisoners of war and Christians to work these mines.

Antiochus' legend states that he was condemned to work the mines on the island that now bears his name. The island, inhospitable and isolated during this period, was named Plumbaria at the time, after its source of lead (plumbum). His legend also states that he was a physician during the reign of Hadrian. He had converted many people in Cappadocia and Galatia to the Christian religion, and was therefore tortured and sent into exile by the authorities. Antiochus, however, converted his jailer Cyriacus in Sardinia, and had built a small underground oratory on Plumbaria, and was thus condemned to death there.

Veneration

Some sources state that he was martyred with Cyriacus at Sebaste rather than at Sardinia.

Bibliography

• Onnis, Omar; Mureddu, Manuelle (2019). Illustres. Vita, morte e miracoli di quaranta personalità sarde (in Italian). Sestu: Domus de Janas. ISBN 978-88-97084-90-7. OCLC 1124656644.

External links

• (in Italian) Sant’Antioco