LUCIO OF CYRENE. – A Christian mentioned in Acts 13:1–3 among “the prophets and teachers” who laid hands on Barnabas and Saul.
The attempts to identify L. with the evangelist Luke (v.) do not seem to be confirmed by the etymology or by the fact that Luke is presented as an Antiochene. Nor does he seem identifiable with L. mentioned in Rom. 16:21. Perhaps he is to be sought among the Christians of Cyrene who preached the Gospel in Antioch (Acts 11:20).
According to the Constitutiones Apostolicae, St Paul is said to have appointed L. bishop of Cenchreae (7, 46: PG I, 1053). Pseudo-Hippolytus lists L. among the 72 disciples of Jesus and calls him bishop of Laodicea (PG 10, 955), whereas the Martyrologies of Usuard and Ado call him bishop of Cyrene. The Latin liturgy commemorates him on 6 May.
Pietro De Ambroggi