Gregory Thaumaturgus
Greek bishop and saint (c. 213 – 270)
Feast: 17 November (1962 Missal, III class) · not on the current Roman calendar
Who they were
Theodore was born at Neocaesarea in Pontus around 213 to a pagan family. With his brother Athenodorus he set out to study law at Beirut, but at Caesarea in Palestine they met the great teacher Origen, who won them to Christianity; Theodore took the name Gregory.
Returning home, he became bishop of Neocaesarea and built up the Church there so successfully that he was remembered as 'the Wonder-worker'. He died there between 270 and 275.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: Gregory has been honoured as a saint since his death. His title 'Thaumaturgus' comes from the many wonders tradition attributes to him, which were never formally examined.
Why that counted as sanctity
Gregory, won to Christ by Origen, became one of the great missionary bishops of Asia Minor, building a whole Christian people from a handful of believers.
Connected on this site
- Athenodorus Saint Brother or sister
- Macrina the Elder Saint Pupil
- Alexander of Comana Saint“Gregory Thaumaturgus had been asked to come to Comana to help select a bishop for that place.” — Wikipedia
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Gregory Thaumaturgus
- Wikidata Q337537 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Gregory Thaumaturgus (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.