Evodius

Saint Evodius Bishop Died c. 69 AD, AntiochVenerated in Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church Feast May 6(Roman Catholic Church)
September 7(Orthodox Church) AttributesBishop Saints Portal

Saint Evodius (d. ca. 69) is a saint in the Christian Church and one of the first identifiable Christians.

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Very little is known of the life of St. Evodius. However, he was a pagan who converted to Christianity due to the apostolic work of Saint Peter. In the Book of Acts, one of the first communities to receive evangelism was the Jews and pagans of Antioch. The city was opulent and cosmopolitan, and there were both Hellenized Jews and pagans influenced by monotheism. The term "Christian" was coined for these Gentile (mainly Syrian and Greek) converts, and St. Peter became the bishop of Antioch and led the church there. When Peter the Apostle left Antioch for Rome, he was succeeded as bishop of Antioch by a man named Evodius.

St. Evodius was bishop of Antioch until 69 AD, when St. Ignatius of Antioch succeeded him. It is more likely that St. Evodius died of natural causes, in office, than that he was martyred. As one of the first pagans to come to the new church, he is venerated in both the Roman Catholic Church of the east and Orthodox Churches of the East as a saint. His feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is May 6 and in the Orthodox Church it is September 7.