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Maruthas
5th century Christian saint
Feast: 16 February (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Maruthas, Bishop of Maypherkat in Mesopotamia and friend of St John Chrysostom, gathered so many relics of martyrs that his city was called Martyropolis. He worked for the Church of Persia after the persecution of Sapor II.
Sent as envoy to the Persian king, he won his esteem by his gentle and holy life, and wrote the Acts of the Persian Martyrs. He died before 420; he is honoured by Latins, Greeks, Copts and Syrians.
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 cared for the persecuted Church of Persia.
Connected on this site
- John Chrysostom Saint“During his tenure as bishop he was a friend of Byzantine churchman John Chrysostom.” — Wikipedia
- Theodosius II Saint“Later Maruthas was sent by Emperor Theodosius II to the court of Persia, where, notwithstanding the Magi, he won the esteem of King Yazdegerd I of Persia by his affability, saintly life, and, as is claimed, by his knowledge of medicine.” — Wikipedia
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Maruthas
- Wikidata Q739071 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Maruthas of Martyropolis (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.