EPAPHRODITUS. - Disciple and collaborator of St. Paul, known only from the Letter to the Philippians, if he is considered, as is almost certain, a person distinct from Epaphras (v.). The vivid picture that Phil. 2:25-30 gives us of him has the affectionate tone of the whole letter. Paul calls him his "brother and co-worker and fellow soldier" (v. 25), with an ascending gradation that well expresses the common feeling, the common work, the common risk and suffering. He is also called "envoy" (ἀπόστολος, in the profane sense of the word), because he was sent by the Philippians, with gifts of various kinds, to relieve the needs of Paul; whence the latter also calls him "minister (λειτουργός; cf. λειτουργία at v. 30) of my needs."
In Rome E. had fallen into a mortal illness, which had kept both Paul and the faithful of Philippi in grave worry. The Lord, however, had had pity on him, and also on Paul, so that the latter might not have sorrow upon sorrow (v. 27). Now Paul was hastening to send him back to the Philippians, so that the joy might become common. It appears that E.'s illness was a consequence of the hardships of the journey to Rome, because Paul, after saying that E. came close to death for the work (δίο τό έργον) of Christ (v. 30), immediately adds, specifying, that he had exposed his own life for the fulfillment of that λειτουργία, which the Philippians had wished to carry out toward their Apostle. The Roman Martyrology commemorates him on March 22 as bishop and martyr at Terracina (or Tarragona?) where St. Peter would have sent him. Cf. Acta SS. Martii, 3rd ed., Paris-Rome 1865, p. 367 ff.
Bibliography5 works
Teodorico da Castel San Pietro