Quintus of Phrygia
Encyclopedia
Quintus the Wonder-Worker (died ca. 285) is a saint
and thaumaturge of the Eastern Orthodox Church
. His feast day is March 2. He is considered a martyr
for the tortures he endured, though he did not die from them. A native of Phrygia
, he was born to a Christian
family. He worked with the poor at Aeolia
. At Cyme
, the governor, Rufus, ordered Quintus to sacrifice to the Roman gods, in accordance with the decree of Aurelian
. However, Quintus freed Rufus when the latter was possessed by demons. An earthquake
also pulled down the statues and temple of the pagan idols. Quintus was thus released.
However, after forty days, he was arrested again by the magistrate
Clearchus. Quintus was tortured but recovered from his wounds and continued his ministry for many years after.
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
and thaumaturge of the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. His feast day is March 2. He is considered a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
for the tortures he endured, though he did not die from them. A native of Phrygia
Phrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Phrygians initially lived in the southern Balkans; according to Herodotus, under the name of Bryges , changing it to Phruges after their final migration to Anatolia, via the...
, he was born to a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
family. He worked with the poor at Aeolia
Aeolia
Aeolia may refer to:*Aeolia, another name for Aeolis in Anatolia*Aeolia, an older name for Thessaly before the Greek Dark Ages*The home of Æolus, son of Hippotes, a character in the Odyssey*Aeolia , a character found in Mother 3...
. At Cyme
Cyme (Aeolis)
Cyme was an Aeol city in Aeolis close to the kingdom of Lydia. The Aeolians regarded Cyme as the largest and most important of their twelve cities, which were located on the coastline of Asia Minor...
, the governor, Rufus, ordered Quintus to sacrifice to the Roman gods, in accordance with the decree of Aurelian
Aurelian
Aurelian , was Roman Emperor from 270 to 275. During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. Aurelian restored the Empire's eastern provinces after his conquest of the Palmyrene Empire in 273. The following...
. However, Quintus freed Rufus when the latter was possessed by demons. An earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
also pulled down the statues and temple of the pagan idols. Quintus was thus released.
However, after forty days, he was arrested again by the magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
Clearchus. Quintus was tortured but recovered from his wounds and continued his ministry for many years after.