NESTORIO, SANTO, MARTIRE

NESTORIUS, Saint, Martyr. — He is commemorated in the *Martyrologium Hieronymianum* on February 25, in the *Roman Martyrology* on February 26, and among the Greeks on February 28.

The original Greek *Passio*, composed in the 4th century, is lost, but there exist both Greek and Latin versions of good quality. N. was bishop of Magydus in Pamphylia; when the persecution of Decius broke out, he urged his people to flee to the mountains to avoid the danger of falling into enemy hands, while he remained at his post. Captured by the guards, he was brought before the tribunal of the proconsul of the city, who, after questioning him, sent him to Perge to the governor Pollio. The latter had him tortured on the rack and then condemned him to crucifixion.

BIBL.: Tillemont, III, pp. 351-353, 713 ff.; Acta SS. Februarii, III, Paris 1865, pp. 632-635; P. Franchi de' Cavalieri, *Osservazioni sopra alcuni atti di martiri*, in *Nuovo bull. arch. crit.*, 10 (1904), pp. 8-16; id., *Attorno al più antico testo del Martyrium s. Theodori tironis*, in *Note agiografiche*, III (*Studi e testi*, 22), Rome 1909, pp. 97-101; P. Allard, *Storia critica delle persecuzioni*, Italian trans., II, Florence 1935, pp. 393-399; *Martyrologium Hieronymianum*, p. 116; *Martyrologium Romanum*, p. 77. Agostino Amore