Saint Babylas
Saint Babylas of Antioch (died c. 250 AD in Antioch, Syria [present-day Antakya, Turkey]) was Bishop of Antioch from approximately 240 AD until his death during the Decian Persecution and is regarded as one of the greatest bishops of the ancient see of Antioch—the city where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians. He is celebrated for his moral courage in barring an emperor (traditionally identified as Philip the Arabian) from entering the church until he had done penance for a grave crime, and for his steadfast witness unto martyrdom under Emperor Decius. His relics became the center of one of the most celebrated controversies of the fourth century: the pagan Emperor Julian the Apostate tried to remove them from Daphne, where they had been translated, leading to the miraculous destruction of the Temple of Apollo there. His feast day is January 24 in the Roman Rite and September 4 in the Byzantine tradition.
Babylas stands as one of the clearest early examples of episcopal courage in the face of imperial pressure—the bishop who refuses to allow power to override moral and sacramental law. His fearlessness before an emperor and his death as a martyr made him a beloved figure throughout the early and medieval Church.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Babylas
| Saint Babylas | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | January 24 |
| Profession | Bishop |
| Rel. Affiliation | Patriarchate of Antioch (early) |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; chains (worn to martyrdom); palm branch |
| Birthplace | Antioch, Syria (present-day Antakya, Turkey) |
| Death Place | Antioch, Syria (present-day Antakya, Turkey) |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom (Decian persecution) |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Episcopal ministry
Babylas became Bishop of Antioch around 240 AD, succeeding Zebinus. Antioch was the third city of the Roman Empire and the seat of a great Christian community—the church that sent Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journeys and where followers of Jesus first received the name "Christians" (Acts 11:26). To be its bishop was to hold one of the most important sees in the early Church.
The most celebrated episode of Babylas's episcopate is his refusal to allow an emperor to enter the church. The church historian Eusebius of Caesarea refers to this episode without naming the emperor; later tradition identifies him as Philip the Arabian (Emperor 244–249 AD), who was reputed to be sympathetic to Christianity and who wished to attend the Easter vigil. Babylas refused him admission until he had done public penance for a grave moral crime (sometimes identified as the murder of his predecessor). The emperor submitted. This act of episcopal authority over temporal power—an early precedent for the principle that even emperors were subject to the moral law of the Church—made Babylas famous in Christian memory.
Martyrdom
When Emperor Decius (249–251 AD) launched his systematic persecution of the Church, requiring all citizens to sacrifice to the Roman gods, Babylas refused to comply. He was arrested, and according to the tradition, he was so determined to die in Christ's chains that he asked to be buried with the chains that had bound him—a request that was honored. He died in captivity, probably around 250 AD, and is venerated as a martyr of the Decian persecution.
The relics and Julian the Apostate
After Babylas's death, his relics remained in Antioch and were eventually translated to Daphne, a beautiful suburb of Antioch that housed a famous temple and oracle of Apollo. In the fourth century, Emperor Constantius II built a magnificent church at Daphne and placed Babylas's relics there. When the pagan Emperor Julian the Apostate (361–363 AD) came to Antioch and consulted the oracle of Apollo, he received no response—which Julian attributed to the proximity of Babylas's relics contaminating the sacred site. Julian ordered the relics removed. Shortly after their removal, the Temple of Apollo was destroyed by fire. Julian attributed this to Christian arson; Christians attributed it to divine judgment. The historian John Chrysostom wrote a homily about Babylas celebrating this episode.
Significant events
- Became Bishop of Antioch c. 240 AD.
- Barred the Emperor (traditionally Philip the Arabian) from entering the church until he did penance.
- Arrested during the Decian Persecution (249–251 AD); died in captivity c. 250 AD; asked to be buried with his chains.
- Relics translated to Daphne, suburb of Antioch; church built there by Constantius II.
- Julian the Apostate ordered the relics removed; Temple of Apollo at Daphne destroyed by fire shortly afterward.
- Feast established on January 24 (West); September 4 (East).
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Antioch, Syria (present-day Antakya, Turkey)
Death location: Antioch, Syria (present-day Antakya, Turkey)
Notable location: City where he served as bishop and was martyred (Antioch (present-day Antakya, Turkey))
Notable location: Site where his relics were translated; site of the miraculous destruction of the Temple of Apollo under Julian (Daphne (suburb of ancient Antioch, near Antakya, Turkey))
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Parishes
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Media
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Shrines
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Canonization
Saint Babylas is venerated through the ancient process of universal veneration in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Coptic Orthodox traditions.
Miracles
No specific miracles have been authenticated through the modern Congregation for the Causes of Saints process.
Other notable miracles
- The destruction of the Temple of Apollo at Daphne, attributed in Christian tradition to the power of Babylas's relics, is one of the most celebrated miraculous events of the fourth century. Saint John Chrysostom wrote a homily on this topic, Discourse on Blessed Babylas, Against Julian and the Gentiles.
Feast day
January 24
Veneration
Saint Babylas is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on January 24. He is also commemorated in the Eastern Orthodox Church on September 4. He is honored as a great bishop of Antioch, a martyr of the Decian persecution, and a symbol of episcopal moral courage before imperial power.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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Books
Written about the saint
- Saint John Chrysostom, Discourse on Blessed Babylas, Against Julian and the Gentiles — a 4th-century homily celebrating Babylas and the destruction of the temple of Apollo.