| Saint Philip of Agira | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1st century or 5th century Thrace |
| Honored in | Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 12 May |
| Patronage | Agira, Sicily, and Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Malta, United States Army Special Forces |
Saint Philip of Agira (also Aggira, Agirone, Agirya or Argira) was an early Christian confessor. There are two parallel stories of this saint which give to possible dates in which this saint lived. Traditionally, through the writings of St. Athanasius, it is maintained that Philip of Agira is a saint of the 1st century, born in the year AD 40 in Cappadocia (modern Turkey) and died on 12 May, AD 103.
Another recent study says to have been born of a Syrian father in Thrace on an unknown date in the 5th century whose elder brothers drowned whilst fishing. Philip was known as the "Apostle of the Sicilians", as he was the first Christian missionary to visit that island. Nothing else can be certainly stated about him.
His feast day is May 12,[1] and he is naturally, patron saint of the city of Agira, Sicily, and of the city of Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Malta. Philip is one of the patron saints of the United States Army Special Forces.[2]