Romanus of Caesarea (Greek: Ρωμανός), also known as Romanus of Antioch or Raymond, is a Christian martyr and saint. A deacon of Caesarea, he was martyred at Antioch.
Life In 303 or 304, at the beginning of the Diocletianic Persecution, a deacon called Romanus, served in Caesarea in Palestine. He was living in Antioch where in the midst of the persecutions, he encouraged the Christians to stand firm."Martyr Romanus the Deacon of Caesarea", Orthodox Church in America
During a pagan festival, he upbraided the participants for worshiping idols. Taken prisoner, he was condemned to death by fire, and was bound to the stake. When rain extinguished the flames,Dumitraşcu, Iulian. "Martyrs Platon of Ancyra, Romanus the Deacon of Caesarea, and Zacchaeus the Deacon of Caesarea in Palestine", Biserica Ortodoxă Română Romanus was brought before Emperor Galerius who was then in Antioch. At the emperor's command Romanus' tongue was cut out. Tortured in various ways in prison he was finally strangled.Kirsch, Johann Peter. "Sts. Romanus." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 18 November 2021
Eusebius speaks of his martyrdom in De martyribus Palaestinae. PrudentiusPeristephanon, X in P.L., LX, 444 sqq. or page 235 of this PDF relates other details and gives Romanus a companion in martyrdom, a Christian by name Barulas. On this account several historians, among them Baronius, consider that there were two martyrs named Romanus at Antioch, though more likely there was but the one whom Eusebius mentions. Prudentius has introduced legendary features into his account, and his connection of the martyrdom of Barulas with that of Romanus is probably arbitrary.
The feast day of Saint Romanus is observed on 18 November. The church of San Román in Seville is dedicated to Romanus. Prudentius wrote a 1140 line hymn to Romanus, the Romane Christi fortis, the tenth hymn in his Peristephanon.Romane Christi in the Gopher archive at the University of PennsylvaniaTycner, M. "Liber Peristephanon, Poem X", The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity, Oxford Univ.
Barulas Barulas (died 303) was a seven-year-old boy who was martyred along with Romanus of Caesarea by Emperor Galerius by being whipped and beheaded for their Christian beliefs.Monks of Ramsgate. "Barulas". Book of Saints 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 19 August 2012 Barulas, like Quiricus, is venerated as a child-martyr. His feast day is on November 18.Lives of all saints commemorated on November 18
References
Sources Martyr Romanus the Deacon of Caesarea and child-martyr Barulas of Antioch (303)