PHILEMON, a rich Citizen of the City of Colossæ in Phrygia. He was converted to the Christian Faith, with Appia his Wife, by Epaphras, the Disciple of St. Paul; for St. Paul himself did not preach at Colossæ.1 Perhaps we should have known nothing of St. Philemon, had it not been on the Account of his Slave Onesimus, who having robb’d him, and run away from him, came to Rome, where he found St. Paul, and was very serviceable to him. St. Paul converted him, baptiz’d him, and then sent him back to his Master Philemon,2 to whom he wrote a Letter still extant, and which passes for a Masterpiece of that kind of Eloquence, which is natural, lively, strong, and pathetick, which was peculiar to St. Paul. Philemon had made a Church of his House, and all Philem. v. 2.his Domesticks as well as himself were of the Houshold of Faith. His Charity, Liberality, and Compassion, were a sure Refuge to all that were in Distress. The Apostolical Constitutions say, that St. Paul made him Bishop Constitut. l. 7. c. 46.of Colossæ, but the Menæa insinuate, that he went to Gaza in Palestine, of which he was Menæ, 22. Nov.the Apostle and first Bishop. From thence he return’d to Colossæ, where he suffer’d Martyrdom with Appia his Wife, in the Time of Nero. They relate several Particulars of his Martyrdom, and say, that his Body remain’d at Colossæ, where it perform’d several Miracles. His Name is set down in the Martyrologies on the 22 of November.
Read this article in its place on the printed pages