Protasius ( it, Protaso) was

Archbishop of Milan The Archdiocese of Milan ( it, Arcidiocesi di Milano; la, Archidioecesis Mediolanensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Italy which covers the areas of Milan, Monza, Lecco and Varese. It has lon ...

. He is honored as a saint in the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, with his feast day celebrated on 24 November, the day of his death.

Life

Almost nothing is known about the life of Protasius. He was elected

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

in 328, and served until his death, about 343. Athanasius of Alexandria, in his ''Apologia ad Constantium'', mentioned that Protasius was with him when he spoke to the Roman Emperor

Constantius II Constantius II (Latin: ''Flavius Julius Constantius''; grc-gre, Κωνστάντιος; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic ...

; this episode can be dated about 342 or 343. In 343, Protasius attended the

Council of Sardica The Council of Serdica, or Synod of Serdica (also Sardica located in modern day Sofia, Bulgaria), was a synod convened in 343 at Serdica in the civil diocese of Dacia, by Emperors Constans I, augustus in the West, and Constantius II, augustus in the ...

and signed its decrees, standing up against the Arians and supporting the faith of the Council of Nicaea. Protasius died about 343 on 24 November. His body was buried in Milan in the Church of '' San Vittore al Corpo'' (Saint

Victor Maurus Victor the Moor (in Latin: Victor Maurus) (born 3rd century in Mauretania; died ca. 303 in Milan) was a native of Mauretania and a Christian martyr, according to tradition, and is venerated as a saint. Life Victor, born into a Christian family, ...

), where it is venerated still. A late tradition, with no historical basis, associates Protasius with a Milanese family, the ''Algisi''.

Notes

Archbishops of Milan 340s deaths 4th-century Christian saints Italian saints 4th-century Italian bishops Year of birth unknown {{Italy-saint-stub