PANFILO, Saint. — Born in Beirut (Phoenicia), disciple of Pierius of Alexandria, presbyter in Caesarea, died a martyr on 16 February 369 (Eusebius, De mart. Palaest., 11, 14).
Eusebius of Caesarea, his disciple (Eusebius Pamphili), wrote a biography of P. in 3 books (Eusebius, Hist. eccl., VII, 32, 25; De martyr. Palaest., 11, 3; Jerome, Ep. 34, ad Marcellam, cap. 1). The work is lost; a fragment is preserved in St Jerome, Adv. Rufin., 1, 9. Together with Eusebius, P. engaged in critical studies of biblical manuscripts (v. HARAN, Altchristl. Literatur, I, 2, 543 sg) and of the Christian library of Caesarea, founded by Origen. While in prison he wrote an Apology for Origen in 5 books; after the martyr’s death Eusebius added a sixth book (Patius, cod. 118). Only the first book survives in Rufinus’s Latin translation. Jerome, in De vir. ill., 75, mentions P. as the author of
PANFILO, Cemetery of. — Cubicle with masonry pillars supporting the vault (4th century) — Rome, Cemetery of Panfilo.