San Papino

Who they were

The Acts of Saint Pappio have been lost, and what survives in later summaries is a stock legendary account with no reliable historical detail: he was said to have been arrested during Diocletian's persecution, tortured in various ways but kept unharmed by an angel, and finally beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to idols. Because no place is named in the legend, it is impossible to say for certain where the martyrdom happened; Cyprus and Tomi in present-day Romania have both been suggested.

Under the form Papino, he is venerated as patron of Milazzo in Sicily, where a church has been dedicated to him since ancient times and his feast is kept on 17 June; one historian has suggested the Milazzo veneration may be that of a saint of the same name venerated at Cyprus or Tomi, transferred to Sicily at a later date.

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

Legendary martyr under Diocletian, venerated as Papino, patron of Milazzo; feast 17 June.