Heliodorus of Altino

Saint Heliodorus (Italian: Sant'Eliodoro; died c. 410 AD[1]) was the first bishop of Altinum in the 4th century. He was born in Dalmatia.[2] Like Chromatius, he was a disciple of Valerianus, the bishop of Aquileia.[3]

Saint Heliodorus of Altino
Relics of Saint Heliodorus in Torcello
Bishop
Born	4th century
Died	~390
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church
Major shrine	Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, Torcello
Feast	July 3
Patronage	Torcello

He accompanied Saint Jerome on his voyage to the Holy Land, and is mentioned in Jerome's letters.[2][3][4] After the death of his mother, Heliodorus went to Italy and was made bishop of Altino.[2] He attempted to counter Arianism in his see, and attended the anti-Arian Council of Aquileia (381).[2] Saint Heliodorus ordained Saint Nepotianus, his nephew, after he left his position as an officer in the imperial bodyguard.[5]

A legend, composed around the 10th century and incorporating elements from other saints’ hagiographies, states that Liberalis of Treviso was educated in the Christian faith by Heliodorus.[6] The legend goes on to state that, faced with growing opposition from both Arianism and paganism in the see, Heliodorus retired as bishop and lived as a hermit on a desert island in the lagoons near Altino, entrusting the see to a man named Ambrose.[6] Worried about Ambrose’s ability to handle the rise of Arianism in the see, Liberalis decided to find Heliodorus and convince him to come back to his see, but died on the way, and was later venerated as a saint.