Saint Eleftherios

Saints Eleutherius and Antia
The martyrdom of Eleutherius, from the Menologion of Basil II
Major shrine	Relics claimed by Cathedral of Rieti
Feast	April 18, September 5, November 24

Eleutherius (or Eleut(h)erus or Eleftherios; sometimes called Liberalis or Liberator,, the former transliterations and the latter translations of his Greek: Ἐλευθέριος) and his mother Antia (or Anthia) (Greek: Ἂνθια, Italian: Santi Eleuterio e Anzia) are venerated as Christian saints and martyrs.

Born in Rome, Eleutherius's father died when he was a young child and his mother, Anthia, took him to Anicetus, the Bishop of Rome, who taught him in the divine scriptures. Eleutherius is venerated as a bishop of Illyricum; according to tradition, Antia was his mother. According to a source in Greek dating from before the 5th century, Antia was the widow of a consul named Eugenius. Her son Eleutherius was ordained a deacon and priest and then consecrated as bishop by a man named Anicetus. This tradition may have originated through confusion with Pope St. Eleutherius, who may have been a deacon of Pope Anicetus (c. 154-164).

The tradition states that Eleutherius was appointed bishop of Messina and Illyricum at the age of twenty and apparently settled in Valona. He was imprisoned by a comes named Felix; Eleutherius and Antia were taken to Rome to be judged by the Emperor Hadrian. According to this source, Eleutherius and Antia were both condemned to death on December 15. According to tradition, Eleutherius was clubbed to death, while Antia was beheaded.

A Latin translation of this Greek text, dating from around the 8th century, states that Anicetus, after consecrating Eleutherius, assigned him to the see of Apuliam Aecanam civitatem (Aeca). Eleutherius and Antia were then taken to Rome and killed on April 18. The source states that the citizens of Aeca retrieved the bodies of the two martyrs from Rome and returned to their city with them.