TEOFILO, bishop of CESAREA, saint. — He was bishop of Caesarea in Palestine toward the end of the 2nd century, when Pope Vittore (v.) ordered the convocation of synods throughout the Church to decide the Easter question.
T., together with St. Narcisso (v.) of Jerusalem, presided over the synod of Palestine and drafted the letter sent to Rome, in which the apostolic tradition prevailing in their Churches according to the Roman rite was affirmed. They informed the Pope that the same rule was also followed in Alexandria and asked him to make their decision known to the other Churches as well. In the Martirolagio romano, T. is commemorated on 5 March, but there is no evidence that he received a cult in antiquity.
BIBL.: Eusebio, Hist. eccl., V, 22, 23, 25; s. Girolamo, De virii illustr., 43; Acta SS. Martii, I, Parigi 1865, p. 339 ff.; Martyr. Romanum, p. 86. Agostino Amore