A layman martyred in Bithynia, present-day Turkey, around the mid-third century, alongside two named companions.

Saint Callinicus of Apollonia was a layman martyred around the year 250 in Caesarea in Bithynia, in present-day Turkey, dying alongside his companions Saints Thyrsus and Leucius of Apollonia. Little further detail survives beyond this shared martyrdom.

Quick Facts

• Died: circa 250, in Caesarea in Bithynia, Turkey
• Companions: Saints Thyrsus and Leucius of Apollonia
• Venerated as: Lay martyr

Who Was Saint Callinicus of Apollonia?

Callinicus was a layman put to death around the year 250 in Caesarea in Bithynia, a region of present-day Turkey, recorded together with his companions Thyrsus and Leucius as fellow martyrs. Beyond this shared witness, little further biographical detail survives.

Historical Setting

The year 250 marked the beginning of the Decian persecution, the first empire-wide, systematic attempt to compel Roman subjects to sacrifice to the state gods, and Bithynia, a province with an established Christian population, saw a number of such local martyrdoms recorded from this period.

Why the Church Remembers Saint Callinicus of Apollonia

He is remembered as one of the martyrs of Bithynia from the Decian persecution, his witness preserved jointly with that of his two companions, a grouping typical of how many early Christian communities commemorated those who suffered together.

Canonization and Feast Day

No formal canonization process for Callinicus of Apollonia is recorded, as is standard for martyrs of this ancient period. His veneration rests on the Church’s ancient liturgical memory of the martyrs of the Decian persecution.

What Catholics Can Learn Today

Callinicus’s story, known to us only through the barest outline, is a reminder that the Church’s memory of its martyrs values faithful witness itself, even when almost nothing else about a life has survived.

A Prayer to Saint Callinicus of Apollonia

Saint Callinicus of Apollonia, martyr remembered with your companions Thyrsus and Leucius, intercede for all who face persecution together with fellow believers. Amen.

Sources

• Roman Martyrology
• New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia entry on the Decian persecution