Saint of the Day – 30 October – St Marcian of Syracuse (1st Century) the 1st Bishop of Syracuse, Martyr. Disciple of St Peter and sent by the Apostle to Italy. Born in Antioch and died in Syracuse. Sicily, Italy. Patronages – the City and Archdiocese of Gaeta, the Archdiocese of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy. Also known as – Marcianus. Marciano, Martian. Additional Memorials – 2 June (City of Gaeta, Italy) 14 June (Archdiocese of Syracuse, Sicily, Italy) 31 October on some calendars.
According to tradition, Marcian was the f1st Bishop of Syracuse and a disciple of the Apostle Peter. He is considered the first bishop of the West, as he arrived in Sicily while the Apostle was still in Antioch.
Sources on Marcian are considered late, as they are found only from the Byzantine era (7th century) onward.
The oldest image of Marcian is found in the catacombs of St. Lucy in Rome. It is a fresco dating from the 8th Century. Another depiction of him was found inside the crypt of St. Marcian, a Basilica built over an ancient early Christian complex that tradition has identified as the saint’s dwelling and later as his Tomb. However, his Relics are not found in Syracuse; they are kept in the cities of Gaeta and Messina.
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