SAGARI, SANTO, MARTIRE

SAGARI, Saint, Martyr. — Bishop of Laodicea, died c. 175, during the persecution under Marcus Aurelius.

Adonis introduced him into the Martyrology, drawing the account from Eusebius (Hist. eccl., IV, 26 and V, 24), who in turn included in his Historia what Melito of Sardis had written in his treatise On Easter. However, Adonis, following Eusebius’ indication “Sub Sergio Paulo proconsule Asia,” believed he recognized the proconsul Sergius Paulus mentioned in Acts 13:7-12, without considering the anachronism of the 1st century with the 2nd. Melito had noted that at the time of the martyrdom of St. Sagari, a major dispute over Easter had arisen in Laodicea. In the Roman Martyrology, the memory of St. Sagari is recorded on October 6.