Romanus of Caesarea
Syrian saint
Feast: 18 November (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Romanus, a deacon of Caesarea in Palestine, was at Antioch when the Diocletian persecution began in 303 or 304. He encouraged the Christians there and openly urged those who were ready to sacrifice to the gods not to give up their faith. He was arrested and condemned to be burned, but because the Emperor Galerius was in Antioch he was brought before him instead.
At the emperor's command his tongue was cut out, and after various tortures in prison he was finally strangled. Eusebius records his martyrdom, and Prudentius also wrote of him. His feast is 18 November.
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 deacon who strengthened the Christians of Antioch in persecution and was martyred.
Connected on this site
- Barulas Saint“Romanus of Caesarea (Greek: Ρωμανός), also known as Romanus of Antioch or Raymond, is a Christian martyr and saint.” — Wikipedia
- Romanus of Rouen Saint“(For Saint Romanus, Martyr, please see Romanus of Caesarea).” — Wikipedia
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Saints Romanus
- Roman Martyrology, 18 November (Italian Bishops' Conference, Santo del giorno)
- Wikidata Q1274242 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Romanus of Caesarea (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.