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Apollinaris Claudius
2nd century Christian writer and bishop
SaintResearchedAncient RomePre-congregation
Feast: 8 January (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
200
Died
200
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
By tradition
recognised before formal processes began
Who they were
Apollinaris was Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia in the second century, a Christian apologist famous for his treatises against the heresies of his day.
In 177 he addressed an eloquent Apology for the Christians to Marcus Aurelius, recalling the prayers of the 'Thundering Legion' that won the emperor victory. None of his writings survives.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
A bishop who defended the Christians before the emperor.
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Apollinaris Claudius
- Wikidata Q1098296 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Apollinaris Claudius (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.