MARCELLUS, bishop of APHAMIA, saint, martyr. — According to Eastern sources, he was born in Cyprus from a good family and died in 389. He began a career in the magistracy, then, summoned to Apamea by Bishop JOHN, succeeded him after 381.
During the few years of his episcopate, he worked with great zeal to abolish idolatry and destroy temples. In one such action, in the village of Auloni near Apamea, while he was somewhat apart from the soldiers demolishing a temple, he was surprised by a group of pagans who killed him. Later, the perpetrators of the crime were discovered, but a provincial synod forbade that they be punished, as demanded by M.’s sons, since they should consider themselves honored to be sons of a martyr. He is venerated by the Greeks and Latins on August 14.