Acacius (Achatinus, Acatius, also called Acatanghelus), Saint, Martyr

ACACIO (Achatins, Acacius, also called ACATANGELO), saint, martyr. - Confessor of the faith under the emperor Decius (250-51); he is often confused with the bishop of the same name of Melitene, who took part in the Council of Ephesus (431). He is also considered, but without proof, to have been bishop of Antiochia, generally believed to be that of Pisidia.

We know the contents of the lengthy interrogation to which he was subjected by the consular governor Marciano from the Acta disputationis Acacii, a document of good standing, but subsequently heavily reworked. In the Martyrologium geronimianum the name of A. occurs on 29 March, the date of the interrogation, as appears from the Acta disputationis, and not that of his death; the Synaxaria commemorate him on 27, 30, and 31 March and on 16, 17, and 18 April.

BIBL.: Acta disputationis Acacii, in Acta SS. Martii, III, Parigi 1865, pp. 899-900, republished in R. Knopf-G. Krüger, Amgenvölfte Mörtyrerhiten, 3e ed., Tubinga 1929, pp. 57-60; Martyr. Hieronymianum, p. 166; Synax. Constantinop., coll. 564-609; P. Allard, Storia critica delle persecuzioni, II, vers. ital. E. Lari, Firenze 1918, pp. 386-93; H. Delchaye, Les passions des martyrs et les genres littéraires, Bruxelles 1921, pp. 344-64. Cesario van Hulst
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“ACACIO (ACHATINS, ACACIUS, DETTO ANCHE ACATANGELO), SANTO, MARTIRE.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. I (1948), p. 117. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/acacio-achatins-acacius-detto-anche-acatangelo-santo-martire.