Aetherius

Who they were

Saint Aetherius was a bishop sent from Jerusalem around 303 to lead the young Christian community of Chersonesus, in the Crimea, after the first group of missionary bishops sent there in 299 - including Basil, Ephraim, Eugene, Agathodorus and Elpidius - had already been killed by the pagan population. Aetherius managed to convert many people and, once Constantine granted Christians freedom of worship, obtained the expulsion of the pagans from the city, but he himself was killed by a group of enemies of the faith in 311.

Constantine then sent a further bishop, Capito, who completed the mission and, alone among the group, died a natural death. The Byzantine Church keeps the memory of these bishops on 7 March, while the Roman Martyrology commemorates them, with two further names, on 4 March.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.

Why that counted as sanctity

Bishop sent to Chersonesus in Crimea who was killed by pagans around 311, after converting many; commemorated with his companion bishops.