Boniface of Tarsus
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| Saint Boniface of Tarsus | |
|---|---|
| Martyr | |
| Born | Third century, Rome |
| Died | May 14, 307, Tarsus, Cilicia |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Churches |
| Feast | May 14 (Traditional Roman Catholics); December 19 |
| Attributes | Martyr |
 Saints Portal |
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Saint Boniface of Tarsus was, according to legend, executed for being a Christian in the year 307 at Tarsus, where he had gone from Rome in order to bring back to his mistress Aglaida relics of the martyrs.
St Boniface was one of Aglaida's slaves. Both were pagans and lived in debauchery together, before she, tiring of her way of life, sent him on that errand. Finding upon arrival at Tarsus that the authorities were torturing Christians, he openly declared himself to be a Christian. His own body constituted the relics that were brought back to Aglaida, who in turn became a Christian.
The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates both of them on December 19 as the "Martyr Boniface at Tarsus in Cilicia and Righteous Aglaida of Rome."
The name Aglaida is sometimes given as Aglae.
In the twelfth century the name of Boniface (without Aglaida) was included in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints, with the lowest rank of feast ("Simple"). His celebration, on May 14, was reduced to a commemoration within the ferial Mass in 1960 (see General Roman Calendar of 1962), and was omitted completely in the 1969 revision of the calendar because of the totally fabulous character of his "Passio".[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 123
