Saint Paris or Paris of Teano (; ) (d. 346 AD) was ordained

Bishop of Teano The Diocese of Teano (Latin: ''Dioecesis Theanensis'') was a Roman Catholic diocese in Italy, located in the city of Teano in the province of Caserta in Campania, Italy. In 1818, it was united the Diocese of Calvi Risorta to form the Diocese of Ca ...

Pope Sylvester I Pope Sylvester I (also Silvester, before 284 – 31 December 335) was the bishop of Rome from 31 January 314 until his death on 31 December 335. He filled the See of Rome at an important era in the history of the Western Church, though very lit ...

. His feast day is August 5; he is venerated in the

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...

and

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. Many legends exist about him, but the only definite fact seems to be that he was a bishop of Teano. He was succeeded by Saint Amasius of Teano. Pious legends say that Paris was born in

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

Roman Greece Greece in the Roman era (, ) describes the Roman conquest of ancient Greece (roughly, the territory of the modern nation-state of Greece) as well as that of the Greek people and the areas they inhabited and ruled historically. It covers the peri ...

and was the apostle and first bishop of Teano. He was reputed to have miraculously tamed or killed a

dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

living in a cave near town.Cappelletti, Giuseppe. ''Le chiese d'Italia: dalla loro origine sino ai nostri giorni''
Volume 20, (1866) page 197. Another version says that when he arrived in town, the people were engaged in a pagan ritual honoring a snake god. Paris challenge the cult by capturing the monster with the help of a stick and leading him to die along the Savone river. The original cathedral, '' San Paride ad Fontem'' ("Saint Paris at the Spring") was erected at that location and dedicated to him. Built over a Roman cistern, it was named ''ad Fontem'' because the low ground once had a spring at which Paris preached. Paris died at Teano around 346. His remains lie in a chapel in the later Cathedral of San Clemente. His cult spread to other parts of Italy.Mongelli, Giovanni. "San Paride Vescovo di Teano", Santi e Beati, February 23, 2004
/ref>

Baronius Cesare Baronio, C.O. (as an author also known as Caesar Baronius; 30 August 1538 – 30 June 1607) was an Italian Oratorian, cardinal and historian of the Catholic Church. His best-known works are his ''Annales Ecclesiastici'' ("Ecclesiast ...

included his name in 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 ...

at the request of church authorities of Teano.

References

4th-century Christian saints 346 deaths Bishops in Campania Year of birth unknown {{Italy-RC-bishop-stub