Saint Severianus (died 21 February 453) was bishop of Scythopolis in Palestine. He was martyred and is considered a saint. His feast day is 21 February.

Life

Scythopolis was made the capital of the new province of Palaestine secunda around 400 by the emperor Theodosius II. The relationship between the bishop of Scythopolis and the metropolitan of Caesarea was not well defined. Severianus was appointed bishop of Scythopolis, metropolitan of the province of Palestine II. His name is among the signatories to the Definition of Faith of the Council of Chalcedon (451), but he probably was not present at the council.

Severianus, Bishop of Scythopolis

Severianus was killed because he had implemented the Chalcedonian faith among the Christians of Palestine. He was murdered during the unrest caused by the Definition of the Faith, which stated that the divinity and humanity of Christ were two distinct but inseparable natures, contradicting the archimandrite Eutyches.

Severianus, Bishop of Scythopolis

Butler's account

The hagiographer Alban Butler wrote in the Lives of the fathers, martyrs, and other principal saints (1821),

Severianus, Bishop of Scythopolis

Notes

Sources

5th-century Byzantine bishops

453 deaths

5th-century Christian martyrs

Palestinian bishops

Bishops of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem

Ancient Roman murder victims

Ancient Christians involved in controversies