Philemon (; grc-gre, Φιλήμων; ''Philḗmōn'') was an early Christian in

Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

who was the recipient of a private letter from

Paul of Tarsus Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

. This letter is known as Epistle to Philemon in the

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...

. He is known as a saint by several Christian churches along with his wife Apphia (or Appia). Philemon was a wealthy Christian and a minister (possibly a bishop) of the house church that met in his home. The

Menaia The Menaion ( el, Μηναῖον; Church Slavonic language, Slavonic: Минїѧ, ''Miniya'', "of the month") is the liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox Churchand those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite containi ...

of 22 November speak of Philemon as a holy apostle who, in company with Apphia,

Archippus Archippus (; Ancient Greek: Ἄρχιππος, "master of the horse") was an early Christian believer mentioned briefly in the New Testament epistles of Philemon and Colossians. Role in the New Testament In Paul's letter to Philemon (), Archipp ...

, and Onesimus had been martyred at Colossae during the first general persecution in the reign of

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 un ...

. In the list of the Seventy Apostles, attributed to Dorotheus of Tyre, Philemon is described as bishop of Gaza.

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External links

Santiebeati: Saint Philemon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Philemon Seventy disciples 1st-century deaths People in the Pauline epistles Saints from Roman Anatolia Christian saints from the New Testament 1st-century bishops in Roman Anatolia 1st-century Romans Year of birth unknown People from Colossae Epistle to Philemon Slave owners