Picture: (Life time: 17 December 248) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Heraclas of Alexandria
patriarch of Alexandria from 232 to 248
SaintResearchedAncient RomePre-congregation
Feast: 4 December (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
180
Died
248
verified
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
By tradition
recognised before formal processes began
Who they were
Heraclas and his brother Plutarch were among Origen's first pupils and were converted by him; Plutarch was soon martyred. Heraclas became a priest of Alexandria and gave a great example of ascetic life.
He was Bishop of Alexandria from about 231 until 247 or 248. He is in the Roman Martyrology on 14 July.
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 convert of Origen who became a bishop of Alexandria.
Connected on this site
- Pope Dionysius of Alexandria Saint Pupil
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Heraclas
- Wikidata Q738738 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Pope Heraclas of Alexandria (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.