There are several saints named Rufus, of which the ''
Roman Martyrology
The ''Roman Martyrology'' () is the official martyrology of the Catholic Church. Its use is obligatory in matters regarding the Roman Rite liturgy, but dioceses, countries and religious institutes may add duly approved appendices to it. It provid ...
'' records ten; historical mention is made of the following ones, which have liturgical feasts:
# On 19 April, a group of martyrs in
Melitene in Armenia, one of whom bears the name of Rufus. These martyrs are mentioned already in the ''
Martyrologium Hieronymianum
The ''Martyrologium Hieronymianum'' (meaning "martyrology of Jerome") or ''Martyrologium sancti Hieronymi'' (meaning "martyrology of Saint Jerome") is an ancient martyrology or list of Christian martyrs in calendar order, one of the most used and ...
''.
[Kirsch, Johann Peter. "Sts. Rufus." The Catholic Encyclopedia]
Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912
# On 1 August, Rufus, with several companions who, according to the most reliable manuscripts of the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum" died at
Tomi, the place being afterwards by mistake changed to Philadelphia.
[
# On 27 August, two martyrs named Rufus at ]Capua
Capua ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy, located on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain.
History Ancient era
The name of Capua comes from the Etruscan ''Capeva''. The ...
-- one, whose name also appears as Rufinus in the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum" (ed. cit., 111). The other is said to have suffered with a companion, Carpophorus (Carpone, Carponius; hence Rufus and Carpophorus), in Diocletian's persecution circa 304 AD (cf. "Bibliotheca hagiographica latina", II, 1070; Acta SS., VI August, 18–19).[
# On 25 September, several martyrs at ]Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
, among them one named Rufus.
# On 7 November, a Rufus of Metz Rufus of Metz was, according to some sources, bishop of Metz for 29 years. He has been made a Catholic saint with his feast day on November 7.
In the ninth century his relics were transferred to Gau-Odernheim in Rhenish Hesse, Diocese of Mainz.
...
, who is said to have been Bishop of Metz
This is a list of bishops of the Roman Catholic diocese of Metz, which now lies in eastern France.
To 500
* Clement of Metz (c. 280–300)
* Celestius
* Felix I
* Patient
* Victor I 344–346
* Victor II
* Simeon
* Sambace
* Rufus of Metz
* Ad ...
; his history, however, is legendary. His name was inserted at a later date in an old manuscript of the "Martyrologium Hieronymianum"(ed. cit., 140). In the ninth century his relics were transferred to Gau-Odernheim
Gau-Odernheim (until 1896 simply ''Odernheim'') is an ''Ortsgemeinde'' – a municipality belonging to a ''Verbandsgemeinde'', a kind of collective municipality – in the Alzey-Worms district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Geography
Locati ...
in Hesse
Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...
, Diocese of Mainz
The Diocese of Mainz, (, ) historically known in English as Mentz as well as by its French name Mayence, is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Germany. It was founded in 304, promoted in 780 to Metropol ...
.
# On 12 November, Rufus, legend, without any historical proof, the supposed first Bishop of Avignon
The Archdiocese of Avignon (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Avenionensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse d'Avignon'') is a Latin archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese exercises jurisdiction over the territory embraced by the department ...
, who is perhaps identical with Rufus, the disciple of Paul (21 November).
# On 21 November, Rufus the disciple of the Apostles
An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", itself derived from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to se ...
, who lived at Rome and to whom Saint Paul
Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...
sent a greeting, as well as he did also to the mother of Rufus (Romans 16:13). St. Mark
Mark the Evangelist ( Koinē Greek: Μᾶρκος, romanized: ''Mârkos''), also known as John Mark ( Koinē Greek: Ἰωάννης Μᾶρκος, romanized: ''Iōánnēs Mârkos;'' Aramaic'': ܝܘܚܢܢ, romanized: Yōḥannān'') or Saint Mark ...
says in his Gospel (xv, 21) that Simon of Cyrene
Simon of Cyrene (, Standard Hebrew ''Šimʿon'', Tiberian Hebrew ''Šimʿôn''; , ''Simōn Kyrēnaios'') was the man compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus of Nazareth as Jesus was taken to his crucifixion, according to all three ...
was the father of Rufus, and as Mark wrote his Gospel for the Roman Christians, this Rufus is probably the same as the one to whom Paul sent a salutation.
# On 28 November, a Roman martyr Rufus, probably identical with the Rufinianus who was buried in the Catacomb of Generosa on the Via Portuensis, and who is introduced in the legendary Acts of the martyrdom of St. Chrysogonus (cf. Paul Allard
Paul Allard (15 September 1841 – 4 December 1916) was a French archaeologist and historian.
Biography
He was admitted to the bar association, bar and practised law for a short time in his native city, where he became a judge of the civil cou ...
, "Histoire des persécutions", IV, 371 sq.).
# On 18 December, the holy martyrs Rufus and Zosimus
Rufus and Zosimus (died 107 AD) are 2nd century Christian martyrs venerated by the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox churches. They lived in Antioch and were martyred with Ignatius of Antioch during the persecution of Christians under the R ...
, who were taken to Rome with St. Ignatius of Antioch and were put to death there for their unwavering confession of Christianity during the persecution of Trajan
Trajan ( ; born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 18 September 53) was a Roman emperor from AD 98 to 117, remembered as the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was a philanthropic ruler and a successful soldier ...
. St. Polycarp speaks of them in his letter to the Philippians
The Epistle to the Philippians is a Pauline epistle of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The epistle is attributed to Paul the Apostle and Saint Timothy, Timothy is named with him as co-author or co-sender. The letter is addressed to ...
(c. ix).
Besides these, there is:
* Rufinianus Saint Rufinien was the third bishop of Bayeux in the 5th century.bishop of Bayeux
The Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux (Latin: ''Dioecesis Baiocensis et Lexoviensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Bayeux et Lisieux'') is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in France. It is coextensive with the Department of Calvados and is a ...
in the 5th century
The 5th century is the time period from AD 401 (represented by the Roman numerals CDI) through AD 500 (D) in accordance with the Julian calendar. The 5th century is noted for being a period of migration and political instability throughout Eurasia. ...
.
*Máel Ruba
Máel Ruba ( 642–722) is an Irish saint of the Celtic Church who was active in the Christianisation of the Picts and Gaels of Scotland. Originally a monk from Bangor Abbey, County Down, Gaelic Ireland, he founded the monastic community of A ...
, an Irish monk in ScotlandToke, Leslie. "St. Maelrubha." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910
References
External links
Saint of the Day, August 27: ''Rufus and Carpophorus (Carpone)''
at ''SaintPatrickDC.org''
at the ''Catholic Encyclopedia
''The'' ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'', also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedi ...
''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rufus
Ante-Nicene Christian martyrs