THEOPHILUS, bishop of CAESAREA, saint. — He was bishop of Caesarea in Palestine toward the end of the 2nd century, when Pope Victor (v.) ordered the convocation of synods throughout the Church to decide the paschal question.
T., together with St. Narcissus (v.) of Jerusalem, presided over the synod of Palestine and drew up the letter sent to Rome, in which they attested to the apostolic tradition prevailing in their Churches according to the Roman rite. They informed the Pope that the same norm was also followed in Alexandria and begged him to make their decision known to the other Churches as well. In the Roman Martyrology T. is commemorated on March 5, but there is no evidence that he was venerated in antiquity.
Bibl.: Eusebius, Hist. eccl., V, 22, 23, 25; St. Jerome, De viris illustr., 43; Acta SS. Martii, I, Paris 1865, p. 359 sq.; Martyrologium Romanum, p. 86.