Babylas of Antioch
Babylas of Antioch | |
|---|---|
"San Babila and the three little martyrs", Museo del Duomo di Milano | |
| Patriarch of Antioch | |
| Died | 253 |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church Catholic Church |
| Major shrine | Cremona, Italy |
| Feast | Eastern Orthodox Church and Armenian Apostolic Church - 4 September Catholic Church - 24 January |
Babylas of Antioch (Greek: Βαβύλας, from Syriac: ܒܐܒܘܠܐ, romanized: Babūla; Arabic: بابل; died 253) was a Syrian patriarch of Antioch (237–253), who died in prison during the Decian persecution. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches of the Byzantine rite his feast day is 4 September, in the Roman Rite, 24 January. He has the distinction of being the first saint recorded as having had his remains moved or "translated" for religious purposes; a practice that was to become extremely common in later centuries.