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Died between the third and fourth centuries
Patron Saint of Galicia
Sts. Parthenius and Calogero are remembered among the early martyrs who bore witness to Christ during the Roman persecutions. While historical documentation about their lives is limited, a longstanding tradition preserves their memory and honors their steadfast faith.
Early Christian communities frequently faced waves of persecution, particularly during the third and early-fourth centuries, when emperors sought to suppress the growing Church. In this climate, Christians who refused to offer sacrifice to pagan gods or deny Christ risked imprisonment, torture, and execution.
According to accounts, the two brothers were eunuchs serving as chamberlains to high-ranking Roman officials. These positions of influence would have given them access to the Roman Empire’s aristocracy. Reports say the two saints had converted several noblewomen to Christianity.
Roman officials brought two charges against the brothers: embezzlement and being Christians. Although admitting their faith in Christ carried a death sentence for treason, they did not address the lesser charge of embezzlement but immediately and boldly defended their Christian Faith.
Refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods, they endured severe torture. The executioner attempted to burn them alive, but the flames would not consume them. Accounts say they were struck on the head, which may mean they were beheaded.
They were buried in the Catacombs of St. Callixtus. Although historical details are scarce, the names of Sts. Parthenius and Calogero have been preserved in local liturgical traditions.
The names Parthenius, meaning “pure” or “virgin,” and Calogero, meaning “kind old man,” come from the Greek language. This suggests that these two brothers may have had connections to Hellenistic Greek-speaking Christian communities. Sicily, located at the crossroads of Mediterranean cultures, was strongly influenced by both Latin and Greek traditions in early Christianity. The presence of Greek names among Sicilian saints reflects the missionary activity and cultural exchange that helped spread the Gospel throughout the region during the first centuries of the Church.
In third-century Rome, eunuchs increasingly served as essential, trusted stewards within the imperial court and elite households. They were usually foreign slaves captured in battle and were increasingly common in wealthy Roman households. Their roles included serving as chamberlains (household managers) and personal attendants. Despite widespread social stigma, the fact that they had no heirs made them loyal, non-threatening servants, but highly influential advisors and powerful confidants. In Scripture, we read of an Ethiopian eunuch who was converted and baptized by St. Philip (see Acts 8:26-40).
The relics of Parthenius and Calogero, who were martyred in the third century, are housed and venerated at the Basilian Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Monastery of the Holy Heart of Jesus. Following their martyrdom in Rome, they were initially buried in the Catacombs of St. Callixtus. In the 18th century, their remains were moved from Rome to Vienna. In 1784, with the authorization of Pope Pius VI, the relics were transferred to Zhovkva in Eastern Galicia (modern-day western Ukraine), where they remain highly revered as local patrons.
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