Saint of the Day – 29 March – Saint Eustachio of Naples (3rd Century)

Saint of the Day – 29 March – Saint Eustachio of Naples (3rd Century) the Seventh Bishop of Naples. Died in the mid-3rd-Century in Naples, Italy of natural causes, Also known as – Eustasio, Eustatius. Additional Memorial – 10 May in Naples.

The Roman Martyology states: “In Naples, commemoration of Saint Eustasio, Bishop.”

In the list of Bishops of the Archdiocese og Naples, Eustachio is included in Seventh place, after St Agrippino and before St Efebo.

We know very little, only that he lived in the first half of the third century and before 343, the year in which the ninth Bishop, Fortunatus is historically ocumented.

According to the Catalogus, Eustachio governed the Diocese for seventeen years during the Pontificates of Pope Anterus and Pope Fabian.

It is reported that his remains were transferred, in the 9th century, to the main Altar of the Church of Santa Maria in Portanova.

The urn containing the body of Eustachio was found in 1616 and Archbishop Decio Carafa decided to extend the cult to the entire Diocese.

In the month of September of the year 1884, the canonical recognition of the relics was carried out and after this, on 18 December 1884, Pope Leo XIII confirmed the cult paid ab immemorial, to Saint Eustachio.