EPAFRodITUS. – A disciple and collaborator of St Paul, known only from the Letter to the Philippians, if he is considered—almost certainly—as a person distinct from EPAPHRAS (v.). The vivid portrait that the letter draws of him in Phil. 2:25-30 has the affectionate tone of the entire epistle. Paul calls him his “brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier” (v. 25), with an ascending gradation that well expresses their common feeling, their common labour, and their shared risk and suffering. He is further described as “messenger” (ἀναπέμψαι), in the profane sense of the word, since he was sent by the Philippians with various gifts to meet Paul’s needs; hence Paul also calls him “minister” (ἀναστάτης, cf. V. 30) of my necessities.
At Rome, E. had fallen into a mortal illness, which had caused great concern both to Paul and to the faithful of Philippi. The Lord, however, had mercy on him—and on Paul too—so that Paul should not have sorrow upon sorrow (v. 27). Now Paul hastened to send him back to Philippi so that their joy might be shared. It seems that E.’s illness was the result of the hardships of the journey to Rome, for Paul, having said that E. came close to death for the work (ἐκ τῷ ἔργον) of Christ (v. 30), immediately adds—by way of clarification—that he had risked his life to complete that ἀποστολή which the Philippians had wished to fulfil on behalf of their Apostle. The Roman Martyrology commemorates him on 22 March as bishop and martyr at Terracina (οἱ Ἀρμανοί), whither he is said to have been sent by St Peter. Cf. Acta SS. Martii, 3rd ed., Paris-Rome 1865, pp. 367 sq.