Concordius of Spoleto

Saint Concordius was a martyr of the city of Spoleto, in Italy, in the second century. Little is known about him, and his name can be confused with that of another martyr Concordius, who died in the fourth century. The Church remembers him for the steadfastness with which he confessed Christ before the judge.

Concordius was the son of the presbyter Gordian. He was ordained a subdeacon in Rome by Pope Pius I. He was a retiring man who spent most of his time alone, in prayer. Tradition remembers a life of strict asceticism and, in the tradition kept in Serbia, many miracles worked by him.

Martyrdom

During the persecution in the time of Marcus Aurelius (by some accounts, Antoninus), Concordius was imprisoned and tried at Spoleto by the governor of Umbria. He was offered freedom if he would renounce his faith and worship an image of the god Jupiter. Concordius refused, and the judge had him beaten on the rack. After the torture Concordius praised Jesus Christ and was thrown into prison.

Two days later he was given a second chance and a statue was again brought for him to worship. Concordius spat on the idol and was immediately beheaded, around the year 175. It is not known when or where he was numbered among the saints.

The martyr is commemorated in the calendars of both the Orthodox and the Catholic Church, on different days.