Saint Pothinus

POTHINUS (also: Photinus ) (* 87, † 177 in Lyon) was bishop of Lyons, martyr and saint.

POTHINUS probably came as Irenaeus of Lyon, from Asia Minor, where he is likely to have experienced the Apostle John. Just as the Christian communities in Vienne and Marseille was also the church in Lyon, the first superintendent of traditional POTHINUS was around the middle of the 2nd century, Christians from Greek or from Asia Minor. Under Marcus Aurelius, the Christians were largely spared, as the maxim was that Christians were not to be traced or denounced anonymously in the Roman Empire from persecution; only on refusal of the imperial cult threatened punishment. While there were no wide -ranging persecution, but it was still locally again and again to attacks against Christians. In Lugdunum (present-day Lyon), the measures against the Christians were gradually increased. First of them was the access to their churches, denied to the forum and the spa. Then they were allowed to no longer show in public. As finally passed, the population of the city in riots against the Christians, the governor decided in Lyon to make the Christians the process and sentenced them to death. Details of this persecution and martyrdom of Christians are condemned handed in a letter which was written by the churches of Lyons and Vienne to the sister churches in Asia - its author was possibly Irenaeus of Lyon. The report was picked up by Eusebius of Caesarea in his work with. Then POTHINUS was in the year 177 already 90 years old when he, as well as some of his fellow sufferers, died of inflicted ill-treatment in prison. The remaining Christians suffered in the amphitheater of the city, the Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls, martyrdom. The number of martyrs is not precisely known; a tradition speaks of 48 martyrs, but there were probably more. Best known is the Holy Blandina. In addition, the following names are mentioned: Vettius Egapethus, Zacharias, Macarius, Asclibiades, Silvius, Primus, Alpius, Vitalis, Comminus, October, Philo Menus, Geminus, Julia, Albina, Rogata, Aemilia, Potamia, Pompeia, Rodone, Biblides, Quarta, Materna and Helpis and Amnas (the latter two may be the same person ). The wild animals were subjected accused alongside Blandina and Ponticus Alexander to be devoured. In prison, had died: Aristaeus, Fotinus, Cornelius, Zosimus, Titus, Zoticus, Julius, Apollonius, Geminianus, Julia and Ausona. There are also: Maturus, Sanctus, the deacon and Attalus. Gregory of Tours also called Aemilia, Gamnite, Alumna and Mamilia in Ado and Notker Jameica, Pompeia and Domna are also listed.

Commemoration

Memorial of the martyrs of Lyon and POTHINUS is the 2nd of June. The Lyon Church of St. Pothin is named after the saint.