Feastday: October 20
Patron: 363
Cardinal Baronius inserted the name of St. Artemius in the Roman Martyrology, following the example of the Eastern church which had venerated him in spite of the fact that he was a supporter of the Arians. We are told that he was a veteran of the army of Constantine the Great who was made imperial prefect of Egypt. In discharging this office he had to be a persecutor as well as a heretic. George the Cappadocian had been intruded upon the episcopal throne of Alexandria by the Arian emperor Constantius, St. Athanasius had fled, and it was the duty of Artemius to find him, which he endeavored to do with great zeal among the monasteries and hermitages of the Egyptian desert; he also persecuted the orthodox in general. But Artemius was no less zealous against paganism, destroying temples and images, so that when Julian the Apostate became emperor the persecutor was in turn, persecuted. Many accusations against Artemius were made to the emperor, among others, that of breaking up idols; he was accordingly deprived of his property, and beheaded. Whether the Artemius whose healing shrine was a great center of devotion at Constantinople, was identical with this Artemius, the prefect of Alexandria put to death by Julian the Apostate, does not seem to be entirely clear. But the Greek life printed in the Acta Sanctorum, which is based ultimately upon the Arian chronicler Philostorgius, quite definitely assumes this. It also states that the emperor Constantius II commissioned Artemius to convey the refuted relics of St. Andrew the Apostle and St. Luke the Evangelist, from Achaia to Constantinople. His feast day is October 20th.
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All Free PDF's Most Popular New Releases Lent / Easter Stations of the Cross Saints Prayers Rosary Mary Sacraments Apostolic Exhortation Books Coloring Books Encyclicals Español Jesus Novenas Saints Fun FactsArtemius (Latin: Flavius Artemius; died 362), known as Challita in the Maronite tradition, was a general of the Roman Empire, dux Aegypti (imperial prefect of Roman Egypt). He is considered a saint by the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches, with the name of Artemius of Antioch.
Biography
Few details are known of the life and death of Artemius, and many of those details are contradictory, or at least inconsistent, between Christian and pagan early sources. His place or year of birth are not indicated in any historical sources, although at least one tradition quoted in a contemporary source indicates that Artemius was an Egyptian by birth. According to the 8 century compilation, Artemii Passio, he was a Senator and “a notable participant in the highest affairs of [Constantine]”. However, the author of the Passio attributes this information to Eusebius, who does not in fact mention Artemius in any of his writings, and this information cannot be confirmed by any other known historical records. Furthermore, stories that place Artemius with Constantine at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge would make Artemius at least eighty years old when martyred by Julian, which would seem doubtful given his activity at the time. The assertion that Artemius was a friend and companion of Constantius II seems reliable. Given the fact that Artemius held the position of dux Aegypti in the final years of Constantinus’ reign, as is asserted by a number of early sources, both pagan and Christian, it is clear that it is Constantius who must have awarded Artemius this position. In 360 CE, he was listed in a minute of the Oxyrhyncian Senate, under the name of Flavius Artemius, as holding the rank of dux Aegypti. The Artemii Passio attributes Artemius’ ascension to this high position to his successful completion of Constantius’ orders to recover the relics of the Apostles Andrew, Luke and Timothy. According to this narrative, Constantius sent Artemius to Achaea to claim the body of Andrew from Patras and the body of Luke from Boeotia. Artemius is also credited there with translating the relics of Timothy from Ionian Ephesus to Constantinople. Apparently in return for these tasks, Constantius awarded Artemius with the administration of Roman Egypt. However, this attribution is not certain, given that other Christian sources that refer to the translation of St. Andrew’s remains, including the Chronicon Paschale, written a century earlier, do not refer to Artemius in this regard.
While serving as the military governor of Egypt, Artemius supported the Arian bishop of Alexandria, George the Cappadocian, and took part in the latter’s campaign against both the pagan and Orthodox Christian populations. Documented examples of this support include the sacking of the Temple of Serapis in Alexandria, as well as the pursuit of the former, Orthodox, bishop of Alexandria, Athanasius.
In 361 CE, Constantius was succeeded by his cousin Julian, who, on becoming Emperor, broke with his Christian upbringing and took up traditional Roman pagan pantheism. Shortly thereafter, Artemius met his death, in circumstances that are not entirely clear. The Artemii Passio places his death at the hands of Julian, in Antioch, because upon being summoned by Julian from Alexandria, he supported Eugenius and Macarius, two Christian priests from Antioch, against the tortures to which they were subjected by Julian. Artemius is further accused by Julian of murdering Julian's half-brother, Gallus. Despite Artemius' denials, Julian proceeds to have Artemius tortured in various fashions while exhorting Artemius to renounce his Christianity. Artemius repeatedly confirms his faith, and ultimately has his head cut off. According to the Chronicon Paschale, Artemius dies in Alexandria. Ammianus describes Artemius’ death as occurring after Artemius is no longer dux Aegypti, when he is executed for the crimes he was accused of committing against the people of Alexandria. Julian himself provides a similar reason. While Ammianus does not provide the location of Artemius’ death, his language indicates that it was not at Alexandria, thus perhaps strengthening the contention that it was indeed at Antioch.
Hagiography
Artemius is considered a martyr and Saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches, despite his apparent adherence to Arianism during his life. His acceptance as a martyr is based on the tradition found in Christian sources that he was tortured and executed by Julian for speaking on behalf of Christianity in the face of the apostate Emperor Julian, and his unwillingness to renounce his Christianity despite Julian’s promises to allow him to live and restore him to his offices.
His cannonization as St. Artemios is based on the anonymous late 7 century compilation of 45 miracles with which he is attributed. As described in the 45 miracles attributed to him, St. Artemios specializes in miracles dealing with medicine and healing, and in particular with hernias, and testicular and genital maladies in men. One miracle dealing with the healing of a woman is attributed to St. Artemios through his sending St. Febronia, who occupies a parallel construct for women.
His feast day was set as 20 October. His cult site was the Church of Saint John the Forerunning (St John the Baptist) in Constantinople. St. Artemius is invoked by those suffering from hernias.
