RUFO (Rufus, 'Ροῦφος). - A common name among slaves and, generally, among persons of humble condition; it occurs twice in the New Testament: Mc. 15:21; Rom. 16:13, though it remains uncertain whether one or two persons are involved.
In the first text R. is mentioned, together with his brother Alessandro, as the son of Simone di Cirene, whom the Roman soldiers compelled to carry the cross of Gesù; Cirene (v.). In the second text a R. is greeted as an eminent person (ἐκλεκτός does not mean “Christian,” but denotes either the qualities or the status of R.) in the community of Roma; and also greeted is
his mother, whom Paolo calls his own mother as well. This woman must therefore have taken particular care of Paolo, either during a period of his life which may have been that spent at Gerusalemme “at the feet of Gamaliele” (Act. 22:3), or in other unspecified circumstances. This would support the identification of R., son of Simone, with R., a member of the community of Roma. The care taken by s. Marco to mention the two brothers Alessandro and R. suggests that at least one of them was known to the Christian community of Roma, for which the Evangelist was writing.