St. Evodius

Feastday: May 6
Death: 69

Bishop martyr, the successor of St. Peter in Antioch. Tradition states that Evodius was the first person to identify the faithful as Christians. He was one of the seventy-two disciples of Jesus. He may have been consecrated bishop by St. Peter.

Mid-first century Patriarch of Antioch Not to be confused with Evodius, the correspondent of St Augustine of Hippo

Saint Evodius or Euodias (died circa 69) was an Early Christian bishop of Antioch, succeeding Saint Peter. He is regarded as one of the first identifiable Christians, and venerated as a saint.

Biography

Little is known of the life of Evodius.

At the time, Antioch was an opulent and cosmopolitan city where both Hellenized Jews and pagans were influenced by monotheism. According to the Book of Acts, one of the first evangelised communities were these Jews and pagans of Antioch. It was there that the term "Christian" was coined for these Gentiles, mainly Syrian and Greek converts.

Saint Peter became the bishop of Antioch and led the church there. Evodius is said to have been one of the pagans converted to Christianity due to the apostolic work of Saint Peter.

Evodius eventually succeeded Peter as bishop of Antioch when Peter left for Rome.

Saint Evodius was bishop of Antioch until 66 AD, and was succeeded by Saint Ignatius of Antioch. Catholic tradition says it is likely that Saint Evodius died of natural causes, however, the Eastern Orthodox tradition holds that he was martyred under Emperor Nero in 66 AD. As one of the first pagans to come to the new church, he is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church as well as in the Eastern Orthodox Church and in Oriental Orthodoxy including the Assyrian Church of the East. His feast day is 6 May in the Catholic Church and 7 September in the Eastern Orthodox Church.