Feast May 15; May 1 Patronage Berja | Place of death Berja | |
Died 1st century
Berja, Spain Venerated in Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Catholic Church | ||
Saint Ctesiphon (Spanish: San Tesifonte, Tesifón) is venerated as patron saint (besides Mary, Virgen de Gádor) of Berja, Andalusia, southern Spain.
Contents
Hagiography
Tradition makes him a Christian missionary of the 1st century, during the Apostolic Age. He evangelized the town of Bergi, Vergi(s), or Vergium, identified as Berja, and is said to have become its first bishop, but the Diocese of Vergi was probably only founded around 500.
Veneration
He is one of the group of Seven Apostolic Men (siete varones apostólicos), seven Christian clerics ordained in Rome by Saints Peter and Paul and sent to evangelize Spain. Besides Ctesiphon, this group includes Sts. Hesychius, Caecilius, Torquatus, Euphrasius, Indaletius and Secundius (Hesiquio, Cecilio, Torcuato, Eufrasio, Indalecio y Segundo).