Saint Colluthus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Colluthus is an Egyptian saint and martyr of the 3rd century A.D.

According to his Hagiography, Colluthus' father was the governor of the Upper Egyptian city of Ansena. His parents were both Christians. He lived a celibate, although his sister was married to Arianus, who became Ansena's governor after the departure of Colluthus' father.

Colluthus was a physician who did not charge money for his services. When Emperor Diocletian began his persecutions of Christians, Arianus apostatized in order to keep his position as a goevrnor. When Colluthus rebuked Arianus for persecuting the Christians, Arianus sent him to the governor of Oxyrhynchus who threw him in prison for three years. Colluthus' sister unsuccessfully mediated for his release. After three years, a different governor of Oxyrhynchus took Colluthus out of prison, tortured him, and eventually cut his head off on 25 Pashons.

When the reign of Diocletian ended, and Christianity was declared one of the Empire's official religions by Constantine the Great, a church was built for Saint Colluthus, where his relics were placed.