ARISTARCO, saint. — A Christian of Thessalonica, converted from Judaism, companion and collaborator of St. Paul, with whom he appears at Ephesus during his third apostolic journey.
Gaius (v.) by the crowd angered against Paul, he ran the risk of being massacred (Act. 19:29). He then followed the Apostle throughout the journey in Macedonia and Greece, and returned with him to Jerusalem, where Paul was arrested (Act. 20:4). He traveled with him as a prisoner toward Rome (Act. 27:2), where he was his faithful “fellow prisoner” and companion in his labors (Col. 4:10; Philem. 24). According to the Roman Martyrology, he was a bishop of Thessalonica; according to Byzantine tradition, of Apamea in Phrygia. He is said to have been beheaded in Rome with St. Paul. His feast is celebrated on 4 August.