Symphorian
2nd-century Christian martyr
Feast: 22 August (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
According to a legend of the early fifth century, Symphorian of Autun was beheaded as a young man in the reign of Marcus Aurelius, on 22 August 178, his mother encouraging him on the way to his death.
Bishop Euphronius built a fine church and monastery over his grave. He is the patron of Autun, and devotion to him spread early through the Frankish lands, especially at Tours; St. Gregory of Tours tells of a miracle worked through him. His feast is 22 August.
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
The young martyr of Autun, patron of the city.
Connected on this site
- Symphorian and Timotheus Saint honoured together
- Gregory of Tours Saint“Gregory of Tours tells of a miracle worked through him.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Sts. Timotheus and Symphorian
- Roman Martyrology, 22 August (Italian Bishops' Conference, Santo del giorno)
- Wikidata Q686367 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
Checked against the sources listed on 22 September 2026. Corrections welcome.