Onesiphorus
Martyrological notice
In Hellespont, of S> Onesiphorus, disciple to the apostles, of whom St. Paul makes mention writing to Timothy: who there, together with St. Porphyry, by the command of Adrian the proconsul, being sorely whipped, and drawn to pieces with wild horses, gave up his soul to God.
The Lives Of The Saints: Volume 10, September · SS. ONESIPHORUS AND PORPHYRY, MM.
SS. ONESIPHORUS AND PORPHYRY, MM.
(1ST CENT.)
NESIPHORUS is named twice in the second epistle of S. Paul to S. Timothy (i. 16-18, iv. 19). In the former passage S. Paul mentions him in terms of grateful love, as having a noble courage and generosity in his behalf, amid his trials as a prisoner at Rome when others from whom he had expected better things
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had deserted him ; in the latter passage he singles out “ the household of Onesiphorus " as worthy of a special greeting. It has been thought from this and from the manner in which Onesiphorus is spoken of in the first passage with the prayer that “ the Lord may remember him in that day,,; that Onesiphorus was then dead, and that S. Paul wrote mention- ing the good deeds of his departed friend in a letter which contained a message to his household. And this seems most probable. If so, the Onesiphorus commemorated by the Greeks on April 29 is the disciple of S. Paul, and the others of the same name are various bishops and martyrs of various dates.
According to the “ Martyrology of Florus ” he was sent by S. Paul to Samaria, where he preached and died in peace, a.d. 74 ; a bit of pure guess. Peter de Natalibus says that after the martyrdom of S. Paul he remained in Rome, and there died in peace. Another guess stated as a fact. The Greek Menaea says that Onesiphorus was a native of Iconium, and dwelt there. The Onesiphorus mentioned by S. Paul cer- tainly dwelt with his household at Ephesus. He went to Paros, in the Hellespont, and there was captured, along with his servant Porphyry, and both were put to death, Onesiphorus by being tied to the tails of wild horses. One Onesiphorus commemorated by the Greeks was Bishop of Chaeronea, another Bishop of Cephalonia. These were evidently distinct from Onesiphorus the disciple of S. Paul, and from the martyr of Paros.
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Martyrologium Romanum · Latin witness
In Hellesponto sancti Onesiphori, Apostolorum discipuli, cujus meminit sanctus Paulus ad Timotheum scribens. Ipse autem Onesiphorus ibidem, una cum sancto Porphyrio, jussu Hadriani Proconsulis acriter verberatus et a ferocibus raptatus equis, spiritum Deo reddidit.