Saint Leonidas (or Leonides) refers to several saintly martyrs: The Roman Martyrology records several feast days of martyrs of this name in different countries. *Under date of 28 January there is a martyr called Leonides, a native of the

Thebaid The Thebaid or Thebais ( grc-gre, Θηβαΐς, ''Thēbaïs'') was a region in ancient Egypt, comprising the 13 southernmost nomes of Upper Egypt, from Abydos to Aswan. Pharaonic history The Thebaid acquired its name from its proximity to ...

(Egypt), whose death with several companions is supposed to have occurred during the Diocletian persecution. *Another Leonides appears on 2 September, in a long list of martyrs headed by a St. Diomedes. *Together with a St. Eleutherius, a Leonides is honoured on 8 August. *From other sources we know of a St. Leonidas, Bishop of

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

, who lived about the sixth century, and whose feast is celebrated on 15 April. *Still another martyr of the name is honoured on 16 April, with Callistus, Charysius, and other companions. *The best known of them all, however, is St. Leonides of Alexandria, father of the great Church father

Origen Origen of Alexandria, ''Ōrigénēs''; Origen's Greek name ''Ōrigénēs'' () probably means "child of Horus" (from , "Horus", and , "born"). ( 185 – 253), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an Early Christianity, early Christian scholar, ...

. From

Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Christian ...

Church History __NOTOC__ Church history or ecclesiastical history as an academic discipline studies the history of Christianity and the way the Christian Church has developed since its inception. Henry Melvill Gwatkin defined church history as "the spiritual ...

''VI, 1, 2. we learn that he died a martyr during the persecution under

Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa (Roman province), Africa. As a young man he advanced thro ...

in 202. He was condemned to death by the prefect of Egypt, Lactus, and beheaded. His property was confiscated. Leonides carefully cultivated the brilliant intellect of his son Origen from the latter's childhood, and imparted to him the knowledge of Holy Scripture. The feast of St. Leonidas of Alexandria is celebrated on 22 April.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Leonidas Groups of Christian martyrs of the Roman era 3rd-century Christian saints Christian Athéisme names after Saint Leonidas Female: ''Leoni, Leonie, Leonu, Leonidia Male: ''Leonidas, Leonides, Leon, Leo‘’Michel In Greek : Leonidas = Λεωνὶδας In Greek : Leoni = Λεώνη Leonidia = Λεωνιδία