Stylian (saint)

Stylian of Paphlagonia ( Latin Stylianus , ancient Greek Στυλιανός Stylianós ) was a hermit monk from the Roman province of Paphlagonia . He is venerated as a saint and is considered the patron saint of children. His feast day is November 26th .

Life

Stylian's exact year of birth and death are unknown. According to tradition, he lived in the 4th century at the time of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I , some hagiographers , however, assume the 6th or 7th century . Some equate him with St. Alypius , whose memory is celebrated on the same day. However, Stylian is explicitly mentioned in both the Latin Martyrology and the Greek Synaxarium , regardless of Saint Alypius.

Not much is known about his life. Most likely he came from Hadrianople . At a young age he distributed his fortune to the poor and became a monk. Soon he went into the wilderness as a hermit in order to devote himself entirely to God, and lived in a cave. Stylian achieved great notoriety in the area for his virtuous life, which was characterized by fasting and prayer, which was further reinforced by miraculous healings. In particular, the healing of numerous children, infants and pregnant or sterile women earned him the attribute of patron saint of children (both born and unborn).

After his death, his body remained unchanged for a long time. His head is kept in the Trinity Monastery of Sáika near Ágrafa (Greece) and is considered to be miraculous. Other relics of the saint are kept in the Leimón (os) monastery on the island of Lesbos, as well as in the monastery of St. Paul on Mount Athos , in the monastery of St. Menas in Cyprus and elsewhere.

regional customs

Saint Stylian is especially venerated in Greece, Italy and some other countries in south-east Europe (including Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria) and invoked in the case of childhood illnesses or childlessness and for a good birth or good child health, which is more relevant in some areas Customs has led.

Attributes

In Christian iconography he is represented with a beard and in a monk's dress holding an infant.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Propylaeum ad Acta Sanctorum Novembris Synaxarium ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae. Hippolyte Delehaye, Bruxelles 1902, pp. 259-260.