Achillius of Larissa

Saint Achillius of Larissa, also known as Achilles,[1] Ailus,[2] Achillas,[1] or Achilius[3] (Greek: Άγιος Αχίλλειος) (died 330 AD), was one of the 318 persons present at the First Council of Nicaea. His feast day is on 15 May.[4]

Saint Achillius
Mosaic in Hosios Loukas
Bishop of Larissa
Bornunknown
DiedAD 330
Larissa, Thessaly
Venerated inOrthodox Church
Roman Catholic Church
Major shrinethe island of St. Achillius in Small Prespa Lake, Greece
Feast15 May
PatronageLarissa

Life

Achillius was metropolitan of Larissa in Thessaly, Greece. Achillius is mainly remembered for his vehement defense of orthodoxy during the Council of Nicea and a miracle he performed in testimony against Arianism.

Taking up a stone, Achillius called to the Arians: 'If Christ is a creature of God, as you say, tell oil to flow from this stone.' The heretics kept silent, amazed at this demand by St. Achillius. Then the saint continued: 'And if the Son of God is equal to the Father, as we believe, then let oil flow from this stone.' And oil flowed out, to the amazement of all.[2]

Upon returning from the Council, Achillius is reputed to have "cast down many pagan temples, built many churches, [and] cast out many demons".[5] The 1910 Catholic Encyclopedia makes issue to reference Achillius in its article about the bishopric of Larissa.

We must mention especially, St. Achilius, in the fourth century, whose feast is on 15 May, and who is celebrated for his miracles.[3]

Veneration

Achillius died in Larissa in the year 330. When Samuel, Emperor of Bulgaria, conquered Thessaly, he translated the relics of Achillius to Prespa, to an island in a lake that was subsequently named after the saint.[6] A district of Larissa is called Saint Achellios after this saint.

See also

Notes
  1. Catholic Online. "St. Achillas". Saints & Angels. Archived from the original on 4 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  2. Velimirovich, Nikolai. "St Achillius, Bishop of Larissa". The Prologue From Ochrid. Archived from the original on 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  3. "Larissa". Catholic Encyclopedia. 9. Robert Appleton Company. 1910. Archived from the original on 5 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  4. (in Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἀχίλλιος Ἐπίσκοπος Λαρίσης. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
  5. "God is Wonderful in His Saints". "Our Father among the Saints Achillius, Bishop of Larissa". Orthodox Saints commemorated in May. Archived from the original on 13 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-18.
  6. See Macedonia Historical Maps, which cites "St Achillius" as a "small island with Byzantine churches" in Prespa.
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