MASSIMO, bishop of Jerusalem, saint. — He is commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on 9 May. During the persecution of Maximinus Daia he was condemned to the mines after having his right eye torn out and his left foot mutilated. Shortly before 335 he succeeded Macarius in the see of Jerusalem. Sozomen states that he had already been designated for the see of Diospolis, but his fellow citizens did not wish to let him depart.
He took part in the Council of Tyre (335), but did not subscribe to the condemnation of St Athanasius because St Paphnutius succeeded in having him leave before the subscription was made. He refused to take part in the Council of Antioch in 341 in protest against the Arians, by whom he had been deceived at the Synod of Jerusalem in 335, and in 349 he welcomed St Athanasius with great joy on his return from exile. To render him greater honour he convened a synod of Palestinian bishops, who also wrote a letter of congratulations and felicitations to the Church of Alexandria on the return of their bishop. For this adherence and friendship with St Athanasius he was hated by the violent Arians. M. c. 350.