ARTEMA. - A disciple and collaborator of s. Paolo, who in 64 or 65 intended, hypothetically, to send him to Creta to replace Tito there, inviting him to join the Apostle at Nicopoli (Tit. 3, 12).
The name 'Αρτεμᾶς, a contracted form of 'Αρτεμᾶς, “gift of Artemis,” was widespread in Asia Minore; s. Girolamo (De nomin. hebraicis), mistakenly considering it a Hebrew name, interprets it as “anathematizans seu conturbans.” Perhaps A. was from Efeso, the centre of the cult of Artemis.
Later traditions, collected by pseudo-Doroteo (Biblioth. Maxima, III, Lione 1677, p. 429), include A. among the 70 (or 72) disciples. The Symax. Constantinop. calls him bishop of Listra in Licaonia and places his feast on 30 June. The Martirologio romano commemorates him on 21 June. In the Byzantine menaia an A. is venerated on 28 Apr., but he appears to be a different person.