Born in Rome, Eleutherius’s father died when he was a young child and his mother, Anthia, took him to Anicetus, the Bishop of Rome, who taught him in the divine scriptures.[2] Eleutherius is venerated as a bishop of Illyricum; according to tradition, Antia was his mother.[3] According to a source in Greek dating from before the 5th century, Antia was the widow of a consul named Eugenius. Her son Eleutherius was ordained a deacon and priest and then consecrated as bishop by a man named Anicetus. This tradition may have originated through confusion with Pope Eleutherius, who may have been a deacon of Pope Anicetus (c. 154–164).[4]
The tradition states that Eleutherius was appointed bishop of Messana and Illyricum at the age of twenty and apparently settled in Aulon. He was imprisoned by a comes named Felix; Eleutherius and Antia were taken to Rome to be judged by the Emperor Hadrian. According to this source, Eleutherius and Antia were both condemned to death on December 15.[3] According to tradition, Eleutherius was clubbed to death, while Antia was beheaded.[5]
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