Boethius
Roman senator and philosopher of the early 6th century (480–524)
Feast: 23 October (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Boethius, a Roman of consular family, was educated by the pious Symmachus and trusted by King Theodoric with important missions. Accused of plotting to restore 'Roman liberty', he was imprisoned, condemned unheard and executed at Pavia in 524 or 525.
In prison he wrote The Consolation of Philosophy. Tradition holds that he died a martyr, and that one of the charges against him was his devotion to the Catholic faith against the Arian Theodoric.
The miracles
In 1883 the Sacred Congregation of Rites confirmed the custom in the diocese of Pavia of honouring him as St Severinus Boethius.
Why that counted as sanctity
A philosopher and statesman honoured by tradition as a martyr for the Catholic faith.
The cause
The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.
Connected on this site
- Augustine of Hippo Saint Influenced them
- Thomas Aquinas Saint Influenced by them
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Boethius
- Wikidata Q102851 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Boethius (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.