Euplius
Martyr and saint
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Biography
Saint Euplius (Euplus) (Italian: Sant' Euplo, Sant' Euplio, Greek: ἅγιος Εὖπλος) (d. ca. AD 304) is venerated as a martyr and saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. With Saint Agatha, he is a co-patron of Catania in Sicily.
Biography
His name in Greek means "good sailing" which is played upon in the text of the Orthodox Christian Vespers service in his honor.
The Passion of Saint Euplius states that he was a deacon and that he was arrested for owning and reading from a copy of the Bible during the Diocletian persecution. He was brought before the governor of the city, Calvinianus (Calvinian), who asked the saint to read him extracts from the book. He was then tortured and beheaded.
Veneration
He is also the patron saint of Francavilla di Sicilia and Trevico. Ruins of the old church of Saint Euplius are located in Catania near Piazza Stesicoro. This urban site coincides with the place of his martyrdom. His feast day is August 12.