Leonides of Alexandria

Not to be confused with Leonidas of Alexandria.

Saint Leonides
Martyr
Died	202 Alexandria, Province of Egypt, Roman Empire
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church
Canonized	Pre-congregation
Feast	22 April
Patronage	Large families

Origen, son of Leonides

Leonides of Alexandria (Greek: Λεωνίδης) was a Greek early Christian martyr who lived in the second and early third centuries AD.[1]

Biography

According to the Christian historian Eusebius, Leonides' son was the early Church father Origen.[1] Eusebius also says that he was of Greek nationality.[1] In the same passage Eusebius tells us that Leonides was martyred during the persecution of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus in the year 202 AD. Condemned to death by the Egyptian prefect Lactus, he was beheaded, and his property seized.[2]

Family

The name of Leonides' wife is unknown, but she bore at least six children after Origen.[3]

Porphyry, a Neoplatonist, claims Origen's parents were pagans.^[citation needed]

Leonides catechized his children well. Origen attempted to follow his father in martyrdom, but he was detained by his mother - it is said that she hid his clothes so that Origen could not leave the house.[4]

Feast

The Catholic feast of Leonides is celebrated on April 22.[5]

See also

• Chronological list of saints in the 3rd century

References

1. Eusebius Pamphilius, Church History, Book VI, Chapter I
2. Kirsch, Johann Peter. "St. Leonidas." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. Crouzel, H. trans. A. S. Worrall, Origen (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1989)
4. "Origen's father". Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
5. Butler, A., Lives of the Saints: St. Leonides, Martyr, accessed 23 December 2016