St. Heliodorus of Altino – 4th-Century Bishop and Saint

ST. HELIODORUS

St. Heliodorus of Altino was a 4th-century bishop and close associate of St. Jerome. Born in Dalmatia, he became the first bishop of Altino, Italy. A staunch defender of orthodoxy, he opposed Arianism and attended the Council of Aquileia in 381. His relics are enshrined in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta on Torcello Island, Italy.

St. Heliodorus of Altino was a 4th-century Christian bishop and saint, renowned for his unwavering commitment to the faith and his close association with St. Jerome. Born in Dalmatia, a region corresponding to present-day Croatia and parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Heliodorus was deeply influenced by the Christian teachings of the time. He became the first bishop of Altino, an ancient Roman city near modern-day Venice, Italy.

Heliodorus was a disciple of Valerianus, the bishop of Aquileia, and accompanied St. Jerome on his voyage to the Holy Land. During this journey, he visited various churches and remained with Jerome for a time. However, a desire to revisit his native land and see his parents once more drew him back to Dalmatia. St. Jerome tried to persuade him to remain, but Heliodorus' intention was to return to Jerome as soon as he had fulfilled the duties he owed his parents.

After the death of his mother, Heliodorus went to Italy and soon gained recognition for his eminent piety. He was appointed bishop of Altino and became one of the most distinguished prelates of his time. Heliodorus sustained the Catholic faith against the Arian heresy and, in 381, assisted at the Council of Aquileia in northeastern Italy, which was convened to address this issue.

A legend, composed around the 10th century, states that faced with growing opposition from both Arianism and paganism in the see, Heliodorus retired as bishop and lived as a hermit on a desert island in the lagoons near Altino. He entrusted the see to a man named Ambrose. Worried about Ambrose's ability to handle the rise of Arianism in the see, Liberalis decided to find Heliodorus and convince him to come back to his see but died on the way and was later venerated as a saint.

Heliodorus' relics were carried to Altino during the barbarian invasions and then to Torcello, where they rest in a sepulcher in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. He is venerated in both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, with his feast day celebrated on July 3.

Feast Day

3-7-

Birth Date

--N/A

Died Date

--4th Century

Canonised Date

--Pre-congregation

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, Torcello, Italy

"O Lord, we humbly ask for your guidance so that we may walk the path of righteousness like Saint Heliodorus did. Amen."
ST. HELIODORUS

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ST. HELIODORUS

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