Saint Acyndinus
Saint Acyndinus (also known as Acindinus or Acyndinus the Priest; died 345 AD) was a Persian Christian priest who was martyred under King Shapur II of the Sasanian Empire during the great persecution of Christians in Persia in the fourth century. He is venerated together with his companions — the deacon Pegasius, Anempodistus, Aphthonius, and Elpidephorus — as one of the Persian Martyrs of 345 AD. Their feast day is November 2 in the Roman Martyrology.
The martyrdom of Saint Acyndinus and his companions is one of the better-documented episodes in the long Shapurian persecution (339–379 AD), which claimed thousands of Christian lives across the Sasanian Empire. According to Syriac hagiographic sources, Acyndinus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus were arrested first; Aphthonius and Elpidephorus suffered alongside them or in connection with their trial. All were executed for their refusal to apostatize.
Saint Acyndinus is commemorated on November 2 in the Western calendar and in various dates in the Eastern tradition.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Acyndinus
| Saint Acyndinus | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 02 |
| Profession | Priest |
| Rel. Affiliation | Early Persian Christianity; Church of the East |
| Attributes | Martyr's palm; priest's vestments |
| Birthplace | Persian Empire (present-day Iran or Iraq) |
| Death Place | Persian Empire (present-day Iran or Iraq) |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom — executed during the Shapurian persecution under King Shapur II, 345 AD |
| Liturgical Class | Not included |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Birth
The birth date and birthplace of Saint Acyndinus cannot be confirmed from available historical sources. He was a Christian priest of the Sasanian Empire, the Iranian dynasty that ruled Persia and Mesopotamia from the third through seventh centuries AD. His name is of Greek origin (akyndynos means "without danger" or "safe"), indicating either Greek cultural influence or that his name was a Hellenized form of a Persian original.
Early Life
No details of the early life of Saint Acyndinus are preserved in available historical sources beyond his identification as a priest of the Church of the East in Persia.
Occupation
Saint Acyndinus served as a priest in the Christian communities of the Sasanian Empire. His priesthood made him a particularly prominent target of the Shapurian persecution, which specifically targeted clergy: the persecution began in 339 AD with demands for double taxation of Christians and rapidly escalated to the systematic execution of bishops, priests, deacons, monks, and nuns, along with large numbers of laypeople who refused to apostatize.
Vocation
Saint Acyndinus's vocation was that of a Christian priest in Persian Mesopotamia who chose martyrdom rather than apostasy. He suffered alongside his companion deacon Pegasius and others, facing death together as witnesses to the faith.
Death
Saint Acyndinus was executed in 345 AD during the reign of Shapur II, as part of the systematic massacre of Christian clergy and faithful in the Sasanian Empire. He died with his companions Pegasius, Anempodistus, Aphthonius, and Elpidephorus.
Saint Acyndinus met his end by martyrdom in 345 AD, executed for his refusal to renounce the Christian faith during the great Shapurian persecution.
Significant events
- Served as a priest in the Christian communities of the Sasanian Empire.
- Arrested during the persecution of Shapur II, 339–379 AD.
- Martyred in 345 AD with his companions Pegasius, Anempodistus, Aphthonius, and Elpidephorus.
- Feast day observed on November 2 in the Roman Martyrology.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: None
Death location: None
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Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Acyndinus have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
List of shrines
No shrines formally dedicated to Saint Acyndinus have been identified in available sources.
Canonization
Servant of God
Saint Acyndinus's recognition rests on ancient Eastern and Western Christian martyrological tradition.
Venerable
Not applicable.
Beatification
Not applicable.
Canonization
Saint Acyndinus is recognized through ancient tradition, included in the Roman Martyrology on November 2.
Miracles
No specific miracles attributed to Saint Acyndinus have been formally documented.
Miracle for beatification
Not applicable.
Miracle for canonization
Not applicable.
Other notable miracles
No specific miracles are recorded in available sources.
Patronage
No formal patronage has been assigned to Saint Acyndinus.
Feast day
November 2
Veneration
Saint Acyndinus is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church (feast November 2), the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Chaldean Catholic Church, as one of the Persian martyrs of the Shapurian persecution.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.
Books
Written about the saint
- Fiey, Jean-Maurice. Saints syriaques. Princeton: Darwin Press, 2004.
- Bedjan, Paul. Acta Martyrum et Sanctorum Syriace. Leipzig: Harrassowitz, 1890–1897.
Written by the saint
- No writings by Saint Acyndinus have been identified.
External links
References
- Fiey, Jean-Maurice. Saints syriaques. Princeton: Darwin Press, 2004.
- Roman Martyrology (Martyrologium Romanum). Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2004.