Bretanion of Tomis

Saint Bretannio was bishop of Tomis (today Constanța, in Dobruja) in the fourth century. He was of Cappadocian origin and held the see of Tomis from 360, and his death is placed around 380 (our record gives the years 350 and 301, which do not fit). He is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church and in the Roman Catholic Church. His commemoration is on 25 January.

Most reports about him come from Sozomen, in the Ecclesiastical History. Bretannio became famous for his struggle against Arianism. The emperor Valens, during the campaign against the Goths in those parts, stopped at Tomis and urged the people to convert to Arianism and reject the Nicene Creed. Examining the bishops in order to draw them to Arianism, Valens went toward the city church, and the people followed him out of curiosity. Bretannio awaited him, together with his clergy. In the church he confronted Valens, telling him that there is only one creed, that of Nicaea. Valens tried to argue with Bretannio, but the bishop, together with the priests, left the church unconcerned and went to another place to celebrate the Eucharist. The people followed the bishop and left the emperor alone with his retinue. Valens ordered him arrested and exiled. The people resisted and, because of the public outcry, the emperor allowed him to return.

Saint Basil the Great asked the ruler of Scythia Minor, Junius Soranus (Saran), to send him the relics of saints of that region. In 373 or 374 the relics of Saint Sabbas the Goth were sent to Caesarea of Cappadocia, accompanied by a letter called "Epistle of the Church of God in Gothia to the Church of God in Cappadocia and to all the local Churches of the Holy Universal Church". The sending of the relics and the writing of the letter have been attributed to Bretannio. He may have represented Tomis at the council in Constantinople in 381, but his name may be confused with that of Bishop Gerontius (Terentius) of Tomis, who may have been the real participant. The Byzantine synaxaria do not mention Bretannio, but the Roman Martyrology entered him on 25 January, a day which Baronio seems to have assigned to him arbitrarily. From there the Romanian Churches took over his feast, entering him in the local synaxaria on the same date.